


Drive It Like You Stole It

by Tracey450



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt, Hurt Danny "Danno" Williams, Hurt/Comfort, Steve Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-01-16 02:42:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 23,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18512266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tracey450/pseuds/Tracey450
Summary: When the Governor of Hawaii’s niece goes missing Five-0 investigate. Danny whump. Steve Angst.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot believe it's been a year since I last posted a story on here. Oh well here goes. I hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> Thank you to Phoebe Miller for her great editing skills.

The sleek, metallic silver sports car sped along a tree-lined road, fishtailing wildly as it hit a set of tight corners on its journey to the valley below. Thick, billowing clouds of dust filled the air, kicked up by the rear tires as the driver wrestled back control. The smooth blacktop had changed just a few minutes earlier to a dry, sun-baked surface, something more characteristic of a rallycross circuit.

A short distance behind the vehicle, sirens wailed from a half dozen police cruisers, none of which were a match for the Camaro with its 6-liter V8 engine.

Steve chanced a quick glance across to the empty passenger seat, his partner's words repeating in his head.

_Drive it like you stole it._

_Three weeks earlier_

A skinny, blonde guy in his twenties stood on the rim of a large basket hanging below a bright orange hot air balloon. Dressed in nothing more than a thin white T-shirt and jeans, he calmly stepped off the side. Four other men, all wearing parachutes, followed him into the clouds below.

"I take it all back." Danny slapped Steve on the back and gestured with his free hand to the large screen he and the rest of the Five-0 task force were watching. "You almost appear sane next to this guy."

"Oh, I don't know if I'd go that far." Tani's focus remained fixed on the exploits unfolding in front of her, eyes wide in astonishment. "I've seen our boss do some crazy stunts in the short time I've been on this team."

Junior cleared his throat and paused the video. "For the record. I disagree. I think you're always in control, sir."

"He paying you to suck up to him all the damn time?" Lou shot Junior a quizzical look.

"Hey, enough. If everyone is finished can we move on, please?" Steve crossed his arms and glared across the smart table at Lou.

"Don't look at me. Your man started it. He's worried you're gonna throw him out of a plane again."

"Not a chance. He whined the whole way down."

" _I whined_?" Danny looked at Steve incredulously. "What about when we were on the ground. Can we call the restaurant  _Steve's_ , Danno?  _Please_ , Danno?"

"Oh my God. Do you two ever stop bickering?" Tani laughed.

"Okay enough. Lou, what have you got?" Steve's serious tone doused the humor like a bucket of cold water.

"Drayton Carlisle. Real life scumbag. Head of a car-jacking crew. They steal high-end vehicles and ship them all over the world – the mainland, Canada, Europe, Asia. Carlisle's main base is in California, but he recently expanded his operation to our island."

Junior tapped the display in front of him, resuming the video. "As you can see from this clip, he and his crew live life on the edge."

They watched as Carlisle is caught by another guy, who deploys his parachute. The two then glide safely to the ground.

Lou continued. "He owns a number of legit businesses. Sky Blue Balloon Rides in the Napa Valley and Island Hopping Helicopters on the Big Island. We believe these are used to launder the cash from the car thefts."

Danny shoved his hands in his pants pockets and turned to Steve. "You spent most of this morning with the Governor. What'd he do? Steal her limo?"

"Nothing that simple. Her niece, Kakalina, is romantically involved with one of Carlisle's crew. She didn't come home night before last. No one's seen or heard from her."

"What do we know about the boyfriend?" Tani asked.

"Not much, but we do know Carlisle runs a tight ship, and word on the street is he has an opening for another driver."

"I doubt that's a coincidence." Lou sighed deeply.

"The Governor doesn't believe in coincidences. We need to find Kakalina, and soon. One of us is going to fill the vacancy."

"I'll do it, Sir." Junior jumped in the second Steve finished speaking.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm, Junior, but Carlisle is very specific in who hires and that's single white guys."

"Prejudice on all fronts. Sounds like a real charmer." Tani shock her head.

"You'll fit right in, babe." Danny grinned at Steve.

"Governor said no. She wants me to oversee the op."

"No way." Danny raised both hands. "You gotta be kidding me."

"You're always complaining you never get to drive." Lou smirked.

Steve shrugged his shoulders. "And you are always griping about how you are the trained pursuit driver."

"What if he wants me to join in with his extra-curricular activities, huh?"

"Swapping one insane boss for another." Tani gave Danny a wry smile.

With an exaggerated sigh and an eye roll worthy of his teenage daughter, Danny begrudgingly accepted his fate. "So, let's hear it. I take it you have a plan that involves me getting shot at."

"A rock solid plan, and no one's gonna get shot. We'll all have your back."

"Rock solid? Like your head? Do I need to remind you of the last time we went undercover?" Danny waved his hands around as his voice grew louder.

"No, but let's hear it."

"Landing a plane 'cause you got shot. Liver transplant… you want me to go on?"

"This is different." Jaw tense, Steve didn't take the bait.

"You're in a car, not a plane?" Lou answered dryly.

Steve nodded at Lou in agreement. "Exactly."

"Neanderthals. All of you." Danny huffed out.

"What's your strategy, sir."

Danny scowled at Junior.

"We're gonna steal a car -"

" _I'm_  gonna jack a car." Danny cut in.

"Yeah, and deliver it to Carlisle."

"How's Danny gonna do that?" Tani frowned.

"Meet Vincent Raines." Jerry inserted himself between Steve and Danny, and placed a passport and I.D. card on the table. "Mr Raines, originally from Connecticut. Moved to Oahu two years ago following a messy divorce. Currently works as a valet at the Halekulani Hotel."

Danny picked up the passport and studied it. "Messy divorce, huh? Very original."

"Sorry." Jerry mumbled. "I wasn't given a lot of time."

"You did good." Steve gave Danny a disapproving hard stare. "Carry on, Jerry."

"You'll be stealing a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500, tomorrow night from the Halekulani, and delivering it to a warehouse on Kaihikapa street."

"That's gotta be a thirty minute drive." Junior pointed out.

Jerry brought a map up on the big screen. "Seventeen to be exact."

Danny crossed his arms, slowly shaking his head. "Piece of cake."

"Not quite. Carlisle likes to test his candidates. He always tips off local law enforcement. You'll have to lose HPD."

"And we can't risk your cover by giving HPD the heads up." Steve added.

"It gets better." Danny grouched.

Steve smiled at Danny's caustic tone. "We have plenty of time to prepare, buddy."

"There's that  _we_  again."

"I could contact my SEAL team, sir. One of the guys –"

"Hey, still here, Junior. I can handle it. My Newark driving instructor passed away last year, I'm sure he'll being turning in his grave tomorrow night. I doubt he ever expected me to follow his advice literally."

After a few silent beats Tani spoke up. "So are you gonna share those pearls of wisdom or leave us hanging?"

"Yeah, please do, the suspense is killing me." Lou rolled his eyes.

"Drive it like you stole it."

**~ to be continued ~**


	2. Chapter 2

Drayton Carlisle didn't move a muscle as the Mustang skidded to a stop inches from where he stood. The metallic clatter of the rolling shutter echoed through the small, empty warehouse as it sealed off the entrance like a tomb.

Danny climbed out of the car. He skipped any pleasantries, instead yelling angrily at the man he was supposed to be impressing. "What the hell was that? HPD was all over my ass the second I left the hotel."

"Hold up guys." Carlisle raised one hand to stop two armed men from advancing on Danny. "You got skills and a big mouth Mr Raines."

"You risked my life for  _this_." Danny thumped the roof of the car with his fist.

"Hey, easy." Carlisle ran his fingers over the smooth lines of the car's bodywork as he closed the gap to Danny. "Do I look foolish, Vinnie? Can I call you Vinnie?"

"I think you're reckless, Drayton. Can I call you that?" Danny held the taller man's gaze.

"Very few people have the nerve to stand up to me." Carlisle stepped into Danny's personal space forcing him up against the side of the car. "Reggie! Here, now."

A young guy, wearing sweats and a Rolling Stones shirt, walked out of a small office in the corner holding an open laptop.

"Most would be squirming by now. You've barely flinched. Reggie's been doing some digging. Vincent Raines, a divorcee from Connecticut. I'll ask you again. Do you think I'm stupid?"

Danny practiced a breathing exercise Steve taught him when he felt the first tendrils of nerves starting to creep in. Counting to four as he breathed in and out, all the while scanning the room for escape routes and listening to Carlisle's feeble attempt at intimidation.

"Reggie, what you got?"

"Assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving, vehicle theft –" Reggie rested the laptop on the hood of the car. " – concealed weapons, drug abuse, parole violation –"

"Enough. I usually steer clear of low life scum like you. A rap sheet as long as yours attracts the wrong type of attention." Carlisle stepped back allowing Danny room to move. "But you might just be worth taking a chance on."

"So, am I in? I missed the Knicks' game for this gig." Danny kept up his nonchalant attitude, while making a mental note to speak to Jerry later. He'd convinced Steve that Raines needed a colourful past for Carlisle to believe his story. A 'never been in trouble with the law' divorcee wasn't gonna cut it, but Danny hadn't expected Jerry to make him into 'America's most wanted' either.

"Welcome aboard." Carlisle draped his arm around Danny's shoulders and pulled him towards his other men. "Meet Sam and Dillon, my drivers. I'm sure you've already worked out Reggie's our resident geek."

"You auditioning for Men in Black?" Danny looked both men up and down. They were both dressed in smart suits, white shirts and dark shades.

"Funny." Sam removed his sunglasses. "That was some impressive driving."

"Yeah, sweet ride." Dillon strolled around the silver and black Mustang taking a closer look.

Danny shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. "What now?"

"Take this." Carlisle passed Danny a cellphone. "I'll be in touch."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Danny slammed the car into a lower gear and floored the accelerator. He glanced in the rear view mirror, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the sight of the blue lights fading into the distance.

He'd been accepted onto Carlisle's crew two weeks earlier, and this was the third car he'd been tasked with stealing. The previous job had involved little to no skill. The Porsche Boxster had been left overnight in the short stay parking lot at the Honolulu Airport, and Reggie had made short work of overriding the vehicle's immobilizer.

His current mark required skill and planning. With his new colleagues' assistance, Danny had taken the Aston Martin DB7 right from underneath the owner's nose. Posing as HPD officers, Danny and his partner, Sam, had pulled the middle aged businessman over for running a light. A traffic violation skilfully staged by Reggie, who'd hacked the Highways' grid.

Danny had come close to blowing the whole operation when Sam dragged the unsuspecting victim from his car at gunpoint. Heart in his throat and fists clenched, he'd stood back while Sam pummelled the poor guy with a barrage of punches and insults. Man, he'd wanted to give the asshole a taste of his own medicine, but he had to keep his cover. Danny finally jumped in after counting to ten, grabbing the victim by the collar, shaking him and growling for him to stay down if he knew what was good for him. He'd breathed slightly easier once Sam had sped off in their fake patrol car abandoning their victim on the side of the highway.

However, his moment of relief was short lived when a number of HPD cruisers appeared in his rear view mirror. The throaty roar of the engine and the thrill of the chase were a heady mix, and Danny was beginning to wonder if he was having way too much fun.

His thoughts were interrupted by the buzz of the burner phone laying on the empty passenger seat. He rolled his eyes and with one hand on the wheel he reached over and grabbed the device, pressing the answer button as he did so.

"What the hell. You blind? I have a tail." Danny had no qualms about verbally berating his boss.

" _Vinnie, man, you aren't gonna get busted. Get on the freeway at Queens Medical. Use the off ramp."_

"Drayton, that's suicidal." Danny could feel the first beads of sweat trickling down his face as he cut in front of a tanker truck. The driver hitting the horn to show his anger at the dangerous move.

" _It's a short run until the next exit."_  Reggie's voice could be heard faintly in the background.

"You'd better have a couple of cold beers ready."

" _More than a few if you bring that baby home unscathed."_

Danny caught sight of a Silverado in his side mirror. "Shit."

" _What's up?"_

"Nothin'. I gotta go."

" _Fuck, man, you got yourself some company. Reggie picked them up on traffic cams. You hit the big time, man."_

"Yeah, now let me do my job."

" _Dillon and Sam are gonna help you out. Play a game of tag."_

"Tell them to back off. I got this."

" _Sure you have, but the guys are gonna have themselves some fun."_

"You're a fucking idiot, Drayton. You don't wanna mess with Five-0."

" _Hey, watch your mouth. This is my show. Do what I'm paying you for."_

Danny didn't respond, instead he disconnected the call and let the cell drop into his lap. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed the parking brake and pulled hard, locking the rear wheels as he turned left, sending the Aston into a controlled skid that took him straight into the path of a stream of vehicles exiting the freeway.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"I assure you Governor, I have the situation under control." Steve exited his office and jogged towards the exit, pounding on Lou's door as he passed by before signalling with a wave of his hand for Junior And Tani to follow them.

"Detective Williams is doing all he can to locate your niece."

Lou, Tani, Junior trailed behind Steve as he headed out of the Palace toward his truck.

"Joyride? I'm sure there's a good reason for his actions." Steve pointed to Junior and mouthed. " _You're with me."_

Without saying a word Lou and Tani made their way to Lou's SUV.

"Understood. The team and –" Steve moved the cell away from his ear and frowned at the display before making another call.

"That can't be good. Did the Governor just hang up on you?" Junior opened the passenger door.

"She's pissed. If Danny gets ID'd our whole operation is blown." Steve paused by his Silverado when someone on the other end of the phone answered. "Duke, what you got."

"Hey, Lou, how does she know it's Danny at the wheel?" Tani kept her voice low.

"I think we're about to find out." Lou nodded his head in Steve's direction. "What's the latest on our boy?"

"HPD are currently engaged in a high speed pursuit of an Aston Martin DB7, last location - Queens Medical. And  _no_ we're not sure it's Danny driving, but either way he's involved. The Governor had no choice but to bring Duke onboard. Two perps jacked the car on Kapiolani Boulevard. We need to put ourselves between the Aston and HPD."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Lou started the engine. "Buckle up sister. This is gonna be one hell of a ride."

Tani grabbed hold of the door handle as Lou pulled away making a sharp turn onto King Street. There was an uneasy silence that stretched on far longer than Lou was comfortable with.

"What's eating you?"

Tani shock her head and smiled. "Answer me this, why would Danny steal another car without giving us the heads up first?"

"This is not his first rodeo. Could've compromised his cover, or maybe he just plain never got the opportunity."

"Sure, but this feels kinda risky. Too many unknown variables. There's gotta be another way?"

"Hey, I don't wanna hear any of this negative talk. We leave that to Danny. Anyhow, like I said, not his first rodeo. He can take care of himself."

"I hope you're – " Tani's words were cut short as the impact from another vehicle hitting her side, shattered the window. Thousands of tiny fragments sprayed the front compartment.

**~ to be continued ~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for reading.
> 
> Thanks to Phoebe for her help and awesome suggestions.

Lou made a pointless attempt to regain control of the vehicle as it was struck by an unmarked black Transit. He wrestled with the steering wheel, swerving to avoid half dozen pedestrians on a crosswalk. The move sent him careening across the highway and into the path of a blue sedan. The second impact shunted the SUV up onto the sidewalk, flipping it like a child's small toy.

Tani's efforts to hold onto something failed when gravity took over. She was tipped upside down, her body secured by the safety belt. A polystyrene cup bounced off her chest dousing her in stale coffee.

She hung there, trapped by the seat belt, the straps cutting into her abdomen and shoulder as her weight pulled against them. Tani pushed hard against the roof's interior in a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure. Gritting her teeth and holding her breath as she waited for the cacophony of screeching tires and crunching bodywork to stop. She could only imagine the destruction caused by a chain reaction they'd set into motion. She prayed no one was hurt.

"Lou, you okay?" Tani's voice held a tinge of panic.

After the initial shock Tani recovered her thoughts and reached up to the release on her seat belt. Her fingers frantically jabbing at the button to no avail. She tried to turn her head in Lou's direction, but the slight movement caused her vision to narrow. Her breathing was shallow and erratic as panic began to set in.

"Lou." The word caught in her throat, as she tried to blink away the encroaching darkness.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

When faced with multiple vehicles heading in his direction, the rational side of Danny's brain immediately kicked in. He slammed on the brakes, shifted into reverse and floored the accelerator. Horns blared as he turned the car one-eighty and crossed two lanes, narrowly missing several cars. That's when he spotted Steve. For a split second they made eye contact, each swerving to avoid hitting the other.

Danny thumped the steering wheel in anger as he headed back in the direction he'd originally been travelling. Glancing in his mirrors searching out his partner, he'd half expected him to follow but instead he'd disappeared into the distance, taking with him the sound of wailing of sirens.

His thoughts were interrupted by his cell abruptly springing back to life. Danny fished it out from between his legs and threw it across the interior of the car. He watched the device bounce off the window before landing in the passenger footwell and falling silent.

Danny drove the Aston a few more blocks before turning down a narrow alley. Litter from two overflowing dumpsters swirled along the ground. He parked next to one of them and when he was sure he hadn't been followed he killed the engine. Taking a few moments alone to gather his thoughts, he closed his eyes and rested his head back against the seat.

His peace was fleeting. He glared down at the phone as it danced around the footwell singing Inner Circle's Bad Boys. Danny let out an aggravated sigh and picked up the device, accepting the call as he did so.

"Funny, Reggie. Very funny." He answered with a small amount of levity. "You got anymore bright ideas?"

" _Hey, I like to give my burners Reggie's personal touch before I hand them out."_

Danny rolled his eyes. "Ideas Reggie? Preferably before they come for me."

" _Yeah, I got you covered. Stay put. Sam's drawing Five-0 and company away from your position. I'll tell you when you're good to go. Think of me like your own personal On Star."_

Danny ran his free hand through his hair and blew out a long breath. Everything had gone to hell in a handbasket and he felt helpless to do anything to change it.

" _Hey, Vinnie, you still there?"_

"Yep."

" _We're in the clear. Now take the next right and then left. If you keep off the H1 it should be smooth sailing."_

Danny put the phone on speaker and rested it on the centre console. Deciding now was as good as any time to do some digging.

"Reggie, you got a girlfriend somewhere on the island? You guys never talk about woman."

" _Woah, don't let the boss hear you. He likes his employees single. Go left at the next set of lights."_

"Why?" Danny followed Reggie instructions, pulling up at a stop signal.

" _No emotional attachments I guess."_

"So is that what happened to my predecessor? Get himself a girl? Sam and Dillon clammed up when I mentioned it."

" _Ah man, you got to keep this between me and you." Reggie hesitated before continuing. Danny could hear his ragged breathing. The kid really needed to lay off the cigarettes. "Yeah he got himself involved, but it was complicated. Drayton, well he, he dealt with it."_

"You gotta give me more. Come on, Reggie. You can't leave me hanging." Danny turned at the light, filtering the Aston into two lanes of busy traffic.

" _She's the Governor's niece. I've said enough. Now, stay on this road for another mile and a half."_

"She's still alive then?" Danny sat up straighter in his seat, buoyed by the first sniff of a lead.

_Reggie laughed loudly. "Shit, you were worried he killed them. Nah, Drayton's more than capable, but he's not that dumb. Let's just say he relocated them."_

Danny smiled for what felt like the first time in a very long couple of weeks. It was the news they'd all been waiting for. "Thanks, buddy."

" _No problem. Now, put your foot down and bring that baby home. Drayton's getting impatient."_

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"What the hell was that?" Danny yelled as he stormed into the crumbling concrete walled office. A chunk of plaster falling to the floor as the door slammed against it.

"Stop your bitching. You got the job done,  _eventually_." Carlisle took one last drag on his cigarette before adding the butt to the already full ashtray, sending more of its contents over the side onto the dark wood desk he sat behind. The only piece of furniture in the room had seen better days, coffee cup rings marred the once polished surface.

"Barely. A little more notice would be nice next time."

"Yeah, my bad. A business associate of mine called in a favor." Carlisle stretched his neck to see out of the only window, which looked out onto the small warehouse. "She appears to be unscathed."

Danny glanced over his shoulder at the Aston. "Yeah, with a shit load of luck and Reggie's help."

Their conversation was interrupted by the voices of Sam and Dillon heading their way.

" _Hey, did you see that SUV roll?"_

" _Nah, I was having too much fun chasing down the Silverado."_

" _It wasn't pretty, spun like a top. Be a shame if the piece of skirt choked."_

Danny balked at the words. Only catching himself when Carlisle cleared his throat. The two men made eye contact. Danny hadn't noticed Carlisle move to stand directly in front of him.

"You okay? Looks like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeah, been a long day." Danny scrubbed his face with one hand.

"What happened to the truck?" Sam continued the conversation as they entered the office.

"Fucked off." Dillon tossed two sets of keys on the desk. "Both our vehicles are taken care of."

"Maybe he couldn't take the heat." Sam grinned. "Or he was wowed by Vinnie's driving skills."

"Nah, Reggie said he bottled it on the freeway." Dillon's expression matched that of Sam's.

"Is that right?" Danny quickly changed persona, getting into Dillon's personal space.

"Hey, guys, cut the crap. We have more pressing business." Carlisle interrupted as Reggie entered the room.

"Glad to see she's in one piece. Here." Reggie handed Danny a large manila envelope.

"What's this?" Danny frowned at the unexpected delivery, his anger towards Dillon quickly evaporating.

"Travel documents. I need you in California." Carlisle perched on the edge of his desk.

"You gotta a be kidding me. Shouldn't someone check on the Governor's task force. I could swing by Queens, see if there's any news."

"Sam or Dillon can do that." Carlisle dug into his pants pocket for a pack of smokes and pulled one from the packaging. "I'm having some employee issues."

"What am I your recruitment assistant?" Danny answered incredulously.

"You're coming with me, so call yourself what you want. Flight leaves in three hours."

Danny could feel four sets of eyes on him, he knew he couldn't risk blowing his cover now. "Fine."

"Take my car." Carlisle tossed the keys to his Mustang to Danny. "Now get your shit together and meet me back here in a hour."

"Sure thing." Danny forced a smile and headed out of the office.

**~ to be continued ~**


	4. Chapter 4

Steve answered his cell on the first ring. "Danno, you okay?"

" _Please God tell me Tani and Lou are alright."_

"They're good. A little banged up, but they'll live." Steve paced the corridor outside of the emergency department at Queens Medical.

" _I messed up. I don't know what I was thinking."_

"Calm down, buddy. You forget I know you better than yourself. You were focused on finding a young woman. We all were. Still are." Closing his eyes, Steve slowed his breathing. He could feel his best friend's worry and frustration. His chest tightened. He knew he had to be what Danny needed in the moment. A rock.

"' _Cause you never feel guilty about every scratch the rest of us get, huh?"_

"That's not the same."

" _Never is with you. Anyway, listen up, I don't have long. I'm flying to Napa Valley in about two hours –"_

"Woah, flying?" Steve stopped his pacing, swapping the phone from his right hand to his left.

" _Yeah, genius. That's how normal people get off these islands."_

Steve shook his head. "Not gonna happen. We'll find another way."

" _No can do. Kakalina is alive and I believe she's being held captive on the mainland."_

"That's great news, Danny, that really is, but we can't protect you in California. The team is stretched thin with Tani and Lou out of action." Steve glanced at the double doors to the emergency room. "I don't like this."

" _I'm going and you'll have my back."_

"You know I always do, but I'm the boss and I'm ordering you to stand down."

" _Pulling rank. Nice. Or is it 'cause you miss me, partner?"_

There was a thread of defiance and a cockiness in those words that drove Steve crazy. Danny knew how to push his buttons. Good thing was, the taunting meant his partner was okay. They could do this. Really, they didn't have a choice.

"Yeah, I miss your constant complaining."

" _I knew it."_

Steve scrubbed his face in exasperation. "And you say I'm gonna be the death of you. Fine, send everything you have to Jerry, and don't take any unnecessary risks."

" _Already done. I gotta go."_

"Stay safe, buddy."

" _You too, babe."_

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Lou studied the sky-blue cast covering his forearm and most of his hand. He wiggled his fingers and grimaced. "You know, apart from breaking out into a sweat every now and then on the golf course, I've never broken a damn thing."

"Sorry, Lou." Steve leaned forward, resting both hands on the rail at the end of Lou's hospital bed.

"Hey, this is not your fault." Lou eyebrows knitted together in concern. "Have you got any news on Tani?"

"As a matter of fact I do." Junior entered the room. "Grade three concussion, but thankfully her scans came back clean. Some nasty bruising from the seat belt."

Lou relaxed back against a couple of large plumped up pillows. "We got lucky."

"Sure did, sir."

"Hey, save the sirs for McGarrett. How long she in for?"

"She's being discharged as we speak." Junior bounced on his toes. "I'm driving her home."

Steve and Lou exchanged a look before turning back to Junior causing their youngest team member to blush.

"I'll see her before I leave." Steve stretched, rolling his shoulders as he straightened up.

"You'd better get your ass outta here if you're gonna catch that flight." Lou raised the head of the bed slightly.

"I wish you'd let me join you, sir."

"There goes that sir thing again." Lou messed with his pillows trying to get comfortable. "It's a habit. Gotta be. Like one of those teenage ticks Will's working his way through right now. We've passed the leg jiggling stage, we've moved onto humming."

Steve grinned at Lou's comment. "I appreciate the offer, Junior, but I need you here. We still have the rest of Carlisle's crew to deal with. Anyway, I have Jerry keeping me company."

"Hey, don't forget you're my ride home too. Go fetch our girl and bring her back here." Lou pointed at Junior with his index finger. "And don't you dare call me sir."

Junior smiled broadly. "I wouldn't dare,  _Lou_."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"Commander Steve McGarrett, Five-0 task force." Steve shook the hand of the head of the Napa Valley police station – Sheriff Cane.

"Please take a seat." Cane gestured with his free hand to an empty chair.

Cane's office wasn't dissimilar to Steve's back in Hawaii. All dark wood and the walls adorned with certificates and shiny gold plaques. A family photo – with the Sheriff, a brunette woman and three pretty young girls - took pride of place on his cluttered desk.

"And I thought I had a backlog of paperwork." Steve nodded to the two trays marked in and out piled high with folders. "My least favorite part of my job."

"Don't get me started." Cane gulped down the last dregs of coffee from a take-out cup. "Can I get you a drink?"

"No I'm good, thanks. I'd like to get straight down to business."

"I have to say I was surprised by your call. Drayton Carlisle's been a thorn in my side for over a year now. He is a shrewd a businessman as he is a criminal. He runs a very tight ship."

"Has anyone seen this woman?" Steve handed him a photo of Kakalina.

Cane studied the picture for a second and nodded his head. "Carlisle's rarely seen with woman, so she's sparked a lot of interest. We have a CI. Runs an auto repair shop in the Valley. Keeps his ear to the ground. He often picks up information on Carlisle's operation."

"What about my partner, Detective Williams? He should have arrived with Carlisle late yesterday morning."

"Sorry, still nothing. I will get my men to reach out again." Cane scribbled some notes on a pad.

"Please do, and let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Cane cleared his throat, a look of concern crossing his features. "You said your Governor's niece was romantically involved with a member of Carlisle's crew?"

"That's right." Steve shifted uneasily in his chair. "Why'd you ask?"

"The information I have - albeit sketchy – tells a different story. Word is she's Carlisle's girl. That's set of a few alarm bells ringing with my deputies. Carlisle's guys are close - brothers in arms. Can't imagine her presence sitting well with any of them."

"Knowing that, have you got any ideas of where she might be staying?"

"Not yet, but since we first spoke it's become our top priority. I made a call personally to the Governor of Hawaii. We'll do everything we can to assist. You have all our resources at your disposal."

"Thank you. I'll be staying at the River Inn."

"I'll get one of my deputies to drive you."

"No need. I have a rental, but thanks." Steve stood to leave. "Call the minute you have something."

"Will do. One last thing before you go. You're one hundred percent certain Detective Williams' cover hasn't been compromised?"

"I have no reason to believe he's in trouble, do you?"

"Carlisle's never, and I mean never, brought someone new to meet his team. It feels off."

"Maybe times are changing. He's never had a girlfriend before. Could be the instability in his operation we need to bring him down."

"I hope you're right for the sake of your partner and the young lady. I have to say though, where Carlisle's concerned nothing's ever simple."

Steve stood up. "Thank you for your time."

The two men shook hands. "Happy to help, Commander."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"You got anything for me, Jerry?" Steve walked across the parking lot, cell in one hand, the other fishing the key out of his cargo pant's pocket. He already knew the answer to his question. Jerry was very thorough and eager to please. Two things Steve loved about his friend. If Jerry had found anything, he would have texted or called.

"Okay, keep at it. He's gotta be around here somewhere. You need anything?" Steve opened the door to a silver Camaro. The car made him feel closer to his partner. How could it not? He could hear Danny complaining. Steve didn't like that he'd become so soft, and he didn't want to think about his best friend right then. Couldn't risk overthinking the situation. Forcing his focus back to the phone, he listened to Jerry fret about finding the best place to eat until he finally came up with a decision.

"Burgers. I'll pick some up on my way." Steve grinned as he climbed in the driver's seat. His stomach grumbled and he decided to go all in. "Yeah, fries, soda. I got it, Jerry."

**~ to be continued ~**


	5. Chapter 5

Danny brushed malasada crumbs from his t-shirt and jeans. Relieved to be out of the HPD uniform he'd worn for the best part of the day. He settled back into the large comfortable leather chair, watching as the Island below became nothing more than small rocks in a vast blue ocean. His thoughts drifted to Grace and Charlie. He imagined them down there on one of those now almost invisible pieces of land.

He was fortunate to have such an amazing ohana. Flippa had offered to stay at his place. Danny was certain it would cost him big somewhere down the line. Lunch at Kamekona's shrimp truck had gotten more expensive for himself and Steve as the years rolled on.

A mental picture formed, resulting in a broad smile crossing his face. Grace with her head buried in her cell phone, more than likely texting Will, while Charlie sprawled out on his bed playing a racing game on his X-Box.

"Hey, Vinnie, join me in a drink." Carlisle held up a bottle of Jack Daniels.

"Nah, I'm good." Danny waved him off, ignoring the slow shake of the head aimed his way by the only other passenger on-board the Cessna 182 aircraft. One of Carlisle's thugs stood by the door to the cockpit. He wasn't very tall but what he lacked in height he made up for in width.

"It wasn't a question. Take the drink." Arm stretched out, Carlisle offered Danny the drink.

His reluctance to take the glass angered Carlisle further. He advanced on Danny pouring the amber colored liquid over Danny's head. The whiskey ran into his eyes, stinging and blinding him.

"What the hell – " Danny words were cut short as the crystal tumbler struck his face, whipping his head to the side.

Stunned, Danny acted purely on instinct, he shot out of his seat, swinging his fist and striking his attacker in the chest. Carlisle stumbled backwards giving Danny time to collect himself. He rested his hands on his thighs, half bent over as he wavered in place, still dazed and confused by the initial attack, he attempted to regain an element of composure.

"What's the matter - Danny forced the words out between laboured breaths - with you, Drayton?"

Before Danny received an answer, he was struck from behind. His vision swam as a terrible pain sliced through his skull, shattering his thoughts into a million tiny fragments. Through the haze he felt the sharp cut and tug of zip ties binding his wrists behind him, and without warning his knees buckled and he dropped to the floor.

"I just got a call. Seems you're not who you say you are." Carlisle picked up a shiny silver item from a nearby table and slid it over his hand.

"That's crazy." Danny frowned at Carlisle.

"I don't take kindly to being made a fool of." Carlisle flexed his fingers. "Keep him upright."

Carlisle's goon gripped his shoulders like a vice as cool steel struck his cheekbone, throwing his head back.

"You've got it all wrong." Danny blinked rapidly to clear his vision.

He struggled to free himself but the pressure increased and the hits came in quick succession splitting his face open with every strike. His eyes tracked Carlisle's bloodied hand, the ornate knuckle dusters gleaming surface coated with his blood. It felt like his face was coming apart as blows continued, the last punch delivered to his stomach, forcing all the air out of his lungs. Finally Danny was released and he landed at Carlisle's feet.

"Open your eyes."

Danny felt his head yanked back by his hair before the meaning of the jumble of sounds even clicked in his foggy brain.

"You don't get to blackout." Carlisle leaned over him, his breath hot on the his ear. The smell of bourbon wafted near, making him gag. "Don't you dare puke."

He swallowed hard, blinking back bloody tears as he concentrated on the crimson droplets soaking into the plush cream carpet of the private jet.

Carlisle forced Danny's head back further causing him to swallow convulsively. "Reggie told me you were asking too many questions."

Danny spat out a mouthful of blood and bile. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why were you asking Reggie about girls?" Carlisle gave Danny's head a shake.

Danny winced. "No reason."

"My source tells me you're not Vinnie Raines. So, who are you?"

"Vinnie." Danny wheezed.

"If you're not, you are gonna wish you'd never been born."

"It's the truth."

"See this." Carlisle held a syringe up for Danny to see. "You're gonna take a nap and when you wake up we'll find out who's telling the truth."

"You don't have to do that." Danny tried to pull away. "I promise you, Drayton, your guy's got it wrong."

"Who said it was a guy." Danny felt the prick of the needle and the world around him dissolved into darkness.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Danny sucked in a sharp breath as ice cold water shocked him back to reality. His heart rate increased suddenly at the sound of Carlisle's voice.

"Wake up." Carlisle leaned in so he was practically nose to nose with Danny. "We're going for a ride."

He shivered involuntarily as a wave of nausea washed over him. A hood was pulled roughly over his head intensifying the disorientation and confusion he already felt. Voices seemed to surround him.

" _This him?"_

" _We'll see. I'm still not convinced. He's one a hell of a driver."_

" _Hey, no one's better than me."_

" _Don't worry, you're still my number one. Now get him up and into the car."_

" _Sure thing."_

Danny decided resisting now was only going to earn him another beating, so he had no choice but to allow the men to guide him down the steps of the jet and into a waiting vehicle. He was shoved onto the back seat. Two individuals sitting on either side of him.

" _There's nothing better than being back home." Carlisle sighed loudly. "I missed this place. So, Ryan, Jason tells me you didn't show up for a job. What gives? Am I not paying you enough?"_

" _Hey, you sure you should be so open with our guest in the car?"_

" _Nah, if he's one of us it doesn't matter, if he's not, he won't live to tell the tale. Ryan, I asked you a question."_

" _I was ill. I told Jason that."_

The guy to Danny's left spoke with an air of annoyance.

" _Is that right? I'll give you a pass this one time."_

" _It won't happen again."_

" _Enough with the apologizing."_

Music blasted from the speakers adding another layer of uncomfortable to Danny's already unbearable situation. The heat inside the car was becoming oppressive, made all the worse by the thick material of the hood.

" _Sucker for you."_  Carlisle sang along to the Jonas Brothers' track. Danny tried to ignore Carlisle's singing, attempting instead to focus his mind on every stop and turn the vehicle made, but it was an impossible task. Whatever concoction Carlisle had dumped in his system had diminished his ability to concentrate.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

" _Get him out."_ Danny only realized the vehicle had come to a stop when Carlisle barked the order.

He was grabbed by the arm and pulled from the car, and unceremoniously forced down onto his knees, the hard unforgiving ground adding to his suffering.

The hood was removed and Danny greedily sucked in a lungful of air. Trickles of sweat ran down his face. He licked his lips, the metallic tang of his own blood coating his tongue.

"This the guy?"

Danny squinted against the sun even with the shadows cast by his captors.

"Yeah, that's him." The young Asian woman stood by Carlisle's side.

"You certain?" Carlisle wrapped his arm around her shoulders, kissing her cheek tenderly.

"I remember him from one of my aunt's fundraisers. He's part of her task force, but I don't know his name."

Kakalina wouldn't look him in the eye, but Danny noticed her exchange a brief look with one of the men, who he surmised to be Ryan, the supposed boyfriend. Ryan didn't disguise his hatred for his boss and Danny had no doubt Carlisle knew this as he continually lavished kisses along Kakalina's jaw line, and she equally appeared repulsed by the man's attention.

"It won't take much to make an identification now that we have something to go on." Carlisle studied Danny for a second. "Damn shame though. You got skills. I wonder how you'll fare up there."

Danny followed Carlisle's line of sight to the clear skies above, and suddenly his nausea returned. The video of the idiots jumping out of the hot air balloon flashed through his mind.  _Shit. How was this his life?_  Not for the first time that day, Danny prayed his best friend had his back.

**~ to be continued ~**


	6. Chapter 6

Jerry pressed his face deeper into the soft pillow trying to block out the incessant hammering in his ears. It wasn't until he heard his name hollered alongside the sound that he raised his head.

"Oh frack." Jerry swung his legs off the side of the bed, grabbing a pale blue robe from the night stand. "Ok, Ok, I'm coming!"

He opened the door to see Steve, fist frozen in mid-air, poised to thump the door one more time. "I nearly woke the entire hotel, Jerry."

"Sorry, Commander." Jerry stepped aside to allow Steve entry. "What time is it?"

"Four forty." Steve studied Jerry's dishevelled appearance, his robe hung open to reveal a wrinkled Darth Vader nightshirt with the words 'I wake up on the dark side of the bed.'

Steve scrubbed his face wearily. "If it's any consolation, I didn't get much sleep either."

"Have you heard from Danny?" Jerry rubbed both eyes.

"No, but the locals just called me. Carlisle's on the move and Danny's with him."

"That's a good thing, right?" Jerry booted up a laptop sitting on a small side table.

"Yes and no. Their informant reported seeing him being forced into a vehicle at gunpoint. We need to move, and fast."

"You go. I'm just gonna slow you down. Plus I can do more from here than on the fly. Just tell me what you need." Jerry pulled up a chair and settled down to business.

"I can work with that. I need GPS coordinates. They're heading to the Valley. Carlisle's balloon is scheduled to launch at six hundred hours."

Jerry immediately started tapping keys while staring at the screen intently. "Oh wow. That's not good."

"Talk to me, Jerry." Steve gave a clipped response.

"It's a balloon festival. There's a mass accent scheduled in less than a hour."

"Mass accent. How many?"

"Almost one hundred."

"Find me Carlisle's balloon." Steve headed for the door.

"On it. Hey, you don't think he's gonna, you know…" Jerry stopped, eyes meeting Steve's. Both men processing the horrible realization.

Steve sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds. "Yea, Jerry. I thought of that."

Jerry fumbled with his laptop before regaining his composure. "I got a location on the launch. Sending it to you now, boss."

"Thanks, Jerry." Steve hesitated in the open doorway. "And yes, I believe Carlisle's capable of anything."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"Wakey, wakey." The two words were accompanied by a swift kick from a steel-toed boot, aimed squarely to Danny's midsection. His hands shot prospectively to his stomach as he grit his teeth trying to muffle a pained groan. "Nap time's over."

Danny slammed his eyes shut a split second after opening them. Bright light burned his retinas like a stun grenade and the accompanying loud roar, similar to that of a jet engine, assaulted his ear drums.

Gathering together his last vestiges of strength Danny pushed up onto his hands and knees. The lack of food and drink, not to mention the concoction of drugs still running through his system, had dulled his mind and his reflexes.

"Drink." A bottle neck was forced between his lips. "I don't like using nasty sedatives but you're a fucking handful Detective Williams. Now I need you lucid."

With his head pulled back by his hair, Danny choked on what little water that made it into his mouth. The remainder of it spilled down his chin and neck, soaking his shirt.

He was shoved forward by the same hand that had gripped his hair. "Get the hell up."

Danny felt the ground below him move. His eyes shot wide open and he stared at the tan woven floor. His sluggish brain was beginning to catch up, and ever so slowly the pieces tumbled into place.

"You gotta be kidding me." Danny mumbled.

"What's that?" The words were spoken with a hint of impatience.

Danny raised his head, taking in the hot air balloon above them. Carlisle stood over him, arms folded across his chest. He was accompanied by three of his crew. All four men looked like they were ready for a day at the beach, all dressed in board shorts and t-shirts. Danny recognized one of them – Ryan. He appeared uncomfortable, standing behind his companions, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other.

The confirmation of what he had already guessed nauseated his stomach, but in true William's style Danny attempted to make light of his predicament. "You shouldn't have gone to so much trouble. A plane back to Oahu would have been fine."

"You're a funny guy, Williams." Carlisle gave him a lopsided smile.

"Who said I was joking." Danny sat back on his calves, trying to centre himself as his surroundings spun around him.

Carlisle picked up a parachute pack from the floor and started to put it on. "Don't look so worried, I brought one for you. Can't guarantee that it's in perfect working order though."

"You think killing me will be the end of it? You kidnapped the Governor of Hawaii's niece."

Carlisle laughed animatedly. "Kidnap, huh? Good luck proving that. The girl's here because she wants to be."

Ryan glared at his boss before dropping his head to stare at his own feet. Danny caught his expression as it morphed into what he could only surmise as one of pure hatred.

"The perfect crime." Carlisle tugged on the harness, checking the straps were secure. "Murder so obvious, but with no hard evidence there won't even be a case. No fatal gunshot wound, not a damn thing. An accident caused by faulty equipment."

Danny shook his head slowly before moving his gaze to each of Carlisle's lackeys. "Any of your drugs cure stupidity? You guys could do with a shot."

Carlisle ignored the jibe, placing both hands behind his head and interlocking his fingers, he turned to take in the view. "Get him on his feet. It's time to get this show on the road, or should I say in the sky."

"I can manage." He sucked in a deep breath and struggled to his feet. One guy adjusted the burners making the balloon lurch to the side causing Danny to stumble forward knocking into Carlisle.

The two men briefly made eye contact before stepping out of each other's personal space. Danny spoke first. "Sorry, it's a kinda cosy in here."

Carlisle took a slow cleansing breathe. "Have you ever seen a sight more beautiful?"

Danny followed Carlisle's line of sight. He watched as the surrounding valley came alive with the roar of multiple burners igniting. A myriad of brightly coloured balloons started to rise into the sky along with them. On any other occasion Danny would have been in awe of the spectacle, but all he could think about was how screwed he was – outnumbered, out gunned, and soon to be pushed to his death from a hot air balloon.

The coolness leftover from the night was already being warmed by the sun, now fully up over the horizon. It wasn't long before they were drifting along on the breeze, putting distance between themselves and the other balloons. Danny was no expert but Carlisle obviously had every intention of going higher than what he guessed would be the expected for one of these events.

Suddenly there was a sharp crack and someone shoved Danny into Carlisle. The tight confines of the basket were the only reason the two men remained upright. Another couple of shots followed in quick succession.

Danny felt a searing pain run along his side and Carlisle grabbed onto his arm like an anchor as he fought to stay on his feet.

"Don't shoot." Danny yelled, all the while trying to prise Carlisle's fingers from his bicep, the man's other hand clawing at his shirt.

"He deserves what he's getting." The gunman shouted back.

"We need him -" Danny's response was cut short. The bullet hit Carlisle in the back of the head. "- to pilot this thing."

Danny watched as one of Carlisle's crew took advantage of the distraction, picking up a parachute and jumping over the side.

"Ryan, that's your name, right?" Danny grimaced, pressing his hand to his side, blood seeping out from under it.

"Yea, and you're not Vinnie." Ryan stepped over the prone body of one of his colleagues and picked up a parachute. "We have these."

"That's fantastic. So, you know which one of these is the dud?"

"Drayton's will work." Ryan waved the gun he held in his boss's direction.

"You do realize we need one each?" Danny dropped to his knees, next to Carlisle and looked up at the controls above him. Noticing the balloon design for the first time – a giant spark plug. "Figures. A balloon the size of his ego."

"I guess this thing has to descend sometime." Ryan quipped with a shrug.

Danny used his free hand to search Carlisle's body finding nothing.

"If it's a cell you're looking for, don't bother. Drayton gave strict instructions not to bring one, and that included himself."

Danny sat back with a groan, his hand now barely covering the ever growing patch of red on his shirt. "Figures. He wouldn't want to be tracked."

"Kakalina said you are part of some hotshot taskforce."

"Yeah, did you suggest she out me to Carlisle?"

"I needed to buy her some time. Drayton was gonna kill her. She played along with his games. Showed him affection and..." Ryan looked at the weapon he held. "Fuck. It was only a matter of time before he got rid of her."

"So you gave up the one person here to save her? What did you think, I was on vacation?"

"Okay, so it wasn't such a smart thing to do."

Danny moved so he was sitting with his back up against the side of the basket. "You can put the gun down."

Ryan placed the firearm on the floor. "Now what?"

"You need to finish what you started. Take the parachute and alert the authorities."

"I... I can't..." Ryan began pacing.

"I'll be okay. I've survived worse."

"I've never - Ryan stopped in his tracks – skydived."

"It's a piece of cake." Danny internally berated himself for lying. He'd never admit it to Steve, but he was relieved his one experience had been a tandem jump with his best friend.

"If I get us out of this and save your ass, will you cut me a deal? I'll give you everything I got on Carlisle's operation."

"I'll speak to the Governor, but I can't make any promises." Danny closed his eyes for a moment, sweat trickling down his face.

"Fine, but don't going dying on me now."

"I'll try not to."

"Ah, man. You don't look so good. Maybe I should try and land this thing. You aren't gonna survive a crash."

Danny ran his free hand across his face. "Thanks for the concern but one of us needs to live, and I don't know much about balloons or skydiving, but if we start to descend you won't have a choice but to stay."

Ryan picked up the parachute and slipped his arms through the straps. "This feels like a bad idea, man."

"If things go south, contact Commander Steve McGarrett." Danny was no longer sure if his words were making any sense. His head throbbed and he could hear his own heart pounding loudly in his chest. The more he stared at Ryan the blurrier his image became. "Steve will take care of everything."

**~ to be continued ~**


	7. Chapter 7

Steve glanced at the empty passenger seat next to him and then in the rear view mirror. The flashing blue lights of the half dozen patrol cars following him had become mere specks in the distance as he pushed the accelerator flat to the floor.

_Drive it like you stole it._

He could hear Danny's voice in his head. Steve took a slow breath, attempting to clear his mind. He couldn't get hung up on worrying about Danny or feeling responsible for whatever was about to happen. This situation was mostly out of his hands. Waiting, watching and listening was all he could do, and it killed him. Hearing those words from Danny made it worse.

"We have a skydiver sighted over Napa Chandon Winery." The police issue radio crackled into life.

Steve recalled passing by the vineyard's perimeter fence on his journey deeper into the valley.

He swung the Camaro into a spin and by sheer luck the car stayed on the road as it completed a full 180-degree turn. He drove through plumes of dust, kicked up by the pursuing cruisers as they turned to follow the same route.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Steve's chest tightened at the sight of a number of emergency vehicles in the entrance to the Winery. He pulled the Camaro up next to a large wrought-iron gate, one of a pair opened wide against the high stonewashed walls which flanked them.

Stepping out of the car, Steve instantly spotted Sheriff Cane speaking with a couple of medics. He rushed past the trio, only to have his arm snagged by Cane. "Commander McGarrett, wait."

Steve glared at the man, unable to hide his frustration at being stopped. "I need to see."

Cane blocked his way. One hand on Steve's chest, the other giving a wave of thanks to the EMTs. "No you don't. He's one of Carlisle's crew."

Steve relented, backing away and blowing out a deep breath. "What happened?"

"A local called it in. The guy was apparently holding onto the chute rather than wearing it. He held on but the lines twisted."

"That indicates he exited the craft in a hurry." Steve rested both hands on his hips and looked skywards.

"Wouldn't have mattered either way. Altitude was way too low for the parachute to have any effect on his decent. He didn't stand a chance." Cane shock his head forlornly. "Hell of a way to go."

Steve's response showed no sign of emotion. "Where's the balloon now?"

"According to Air Traffic Control it's drifting towards Skyline Wilderness Park."

"I need to get up there."

"I can arrange a helicopter, but I don't know what you think you can do up there." Cane frowned.

Steve glowered at the Sheriff, his patience wearing thin. "More than what I'm doing right now. Danny's cover is blown and we have a young woman to find."

"I already have my officers on route to two possible locations."

"Let's hope she's there, because it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to think that this perp's death has triggered the end of the line for her and whatever cosy relationship she's into." Steve pulled out his cell and dialled Jerry's number. "Get me that ride, Sheriff."

"I'll make the call." Cane paused before pressed the trigger on his two way radio. "And let's be clear, Commander. This is my jurisdiction and I'm well aware of what's at stake."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Danny slowly regained consciousness. He shivered. Despite the warm glow of the sun he felt chilled to the bone. Keeping his eyes closed at this point seemed the best option as he contemplated his situation. Opening them made his current reality real, something he wasn't quite ready to accept. Dying from a gunshot wound he could take, but being fatally injured in an air crash - no. Hell, he'd rather eat pineapple on pizza. That thought elicited a giggle, which in turn sent a sharp pain down his side. He thought about moving, but figured there was no point. There wasn't anything he could do, he considered it a miracle he was still alive.

"Hey, you still with me?" The words were accompanied by a hand on his forehead.

"Steve." Danny's voice was a mere whisper.

"Shh. You've lost a lot of blood."

Danny opened his eyes, blinking several times to clear his vision. He could just make out a blurry face hovering around him. "Get us out of here, buddy."

"Don't try to move."

"Steve?" Danny frowned as the person in front of him came into focus.

"Sorry, man. It's me, Ryan. You've been out of it."

Danny groaned as he tried to straighten himself up. He was still sat up against the side of the basket. "Why are you still here? I told you to get help."

"I… I couldn't do it." Ryan picked up a bottle of water and held it to Danny's lips. "Here, drink."

Danny pushed the bottle away. "How are we still airborne?"

"I messed with the controls. Well, I figured out enough to keep us from crashing, but I'm guessing it's only a matter of time."

Ryan offer the water again. "At least take a sip."

Danny did as asked, casting his gaze over to where Carlisle and the remaining crew member's bodies lay. "You should have tossed them overboard."

"I tried. You ever lift a dead weight by yourself. I removed the sand ballast. Kept the parachutes, thought I might pluck up the courage to jump. Anyway, I've bought us some more time."

"I can't decide if that's a good thing or not." Danny looked down at his blood soaked shirt and noticed wads of gauze and swabs scattered nearby. "I guess now I have time to bleed to death before we crash."

Ryan followed Danny's line of sight. "I found a first aid kit. Patched you up best I could."

"You turned out to be a regular boy scout." A ghost of a smile spread across Danny's face. "Thanks."

"I didn't make it past Cub Scouts." Ryan moved away. Taking a look over the side. "I hate to dampen your optimism but you might not get that time. I tried to keep us away from the trees but this thing has a mind of its own."

"Is that how I came across? I was trying for pessimism. " Danny held his outstretched arm towards Ryan. "Help me up."

Ryan grabbed Danny's hand and pulled him upwards. Danny clung to the rim of the basket with his free hand as his legs threatened to buckle.

"Where the hell are you trying to go?" Ryan hooked Danny's arm over his shoulders taking the brunt of his weight.

"No idea, but it beats sitting here doing…"

Danny's words were cut short. The two men wobbled in place as the craft clipped a tall tree. Branches snapped as the balloon carried them into the canopy.

The basket tipped violently to one side, the jarring movement almost threw them out. They simultaneously stumbled forward, each frantically trying to stop themselves from falling. Danny latched onto a rope with both hands as it swung in his direction; he prayed it was tethered to something at the other end. The resulting jolt ignited a fire in his side, sending shockwaves of pain through his entire body. He gasped for breath, clutching the anchor with a vice like grip as the unused chutes and medical supplies rained down on him.

Danny almost lost his grasp when one of Carlisle's flailing limbs struck him as the dead man's body plunged into the greenery below. He frantically looked around him, desperate to help Ryan. His heart sinking when he realized he was alone. But he didn't have long to dwell on that sad fact.

Branches reached in, lashing at Danny's bare skin, scratching his arms and face. His grip weakening, the rope's fibres burned his palms as he slipped down. He closed his eye's tight and sucked in a deep breath, pained tears escaping from under his lids.

Soon the material of the envelope began to shred, tangling with tree branches. Within minutes the once impressive balloon was destroyed.

Danny glanced down, trying to judge the distance between him and the earth below. It was an impossible task without a clear line of sight through the dense foliage. Out of options, and with his body failing him, he was forced to let go. The motion of falling sent the contents of Danny's stomach into his throat like a bad amusement park ride. He didn't have time to consider the looming impact as he plummeted the final short distance. When he hit the ground hard, all the air was forced from his lungs. He lost all focus,his vision blurring.

He blinked, unsure if he was dreaming or awake. The balloon's basket swayed above him, the branches holding it captive as it creaked eerily. Shadows danced about as the trees moved in the breeze. Leaves rustled and birds chirped. He was lulled into an odd in-between state - not alive or dead. Then he heard something that didn't belong. The thwack of helicopter blades.

_Steve._  Danny took a deep, slow breath as his adrenaline surged. His best friend was coming for him; he had to hold on.  _Survive til rescue._  Steve's voice loud in his head - an order Danny couldn't dare disobey. Clawing at the ground, he dragged himself toward the nearest tree and leaned against it. Now totally exhausted and in a world of hurt, Danny drifted as the burst of energy drained away. But it didn't rob him of hope. Steve was coming.  _Steve._

**~ to be continued ~**


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, as always, to Phoebe for her great editing skills and suggestions.

"This never gets old, no matter how many times I watch." The helicopter pilot admired the multi-coloured hot air balloon to their left.

"Forgive me if I don't share your enthusiasm." Steve replied in a sombre tone.

"You prefer something with an engine?"

"At this moment in time I'd prefer anything that doesn't involve my friend getting killed."

"You've lost me."

Steve straightened in his seat, adjusting the mic to the headset he wore. "The undercover cop in the balloon we're looking for is my partner – Detective Williams."

"Sorry, I wasn't told."

"How long you been a pilot for the Department?"

"Only a year. I was a uniform walking the beat the previous two. Flying's always been my passion. My pa wanted me to carry on the family business. Rides for tourists is not by bag."

"Your father owns a helicopter tour company?"

"Nah, Hot Air Balloons. Around here it's either that or wine."

"Hey, our three o'clock." Steve pointed to an area above dense forest.

"I see it. Hard not to. Carlisle's a big-headed SOB. His setups are not your norm. He uses big commercial baskets and removes the partitions to create a larger interior. Uses them for extreme sports - free-diving and bungee jumping."

They closed the gap to the stricken craft in mere seconds. The tightness Steve felt in his chest earlier returned. "They're already skimming the tops of the trees."

"I don't want to get too close. Any turbulence we cause could make things worse for them. I can see two people, can't tell if either one is Carlisle. You see your partner?"

They watched the basket pitching and swaying until it tipped onto one side as it was struck by thick branches. Steve was sure he caught a glimpse of his friend moments before the forest seemed to suck them in, like a hungry beast, it's brown tendrils clawing at the envelope. The once impressive spark plug design collapsed and the hot air balloon disappeared from view, consumed in its entirety by the trees.

"What now, Commander?"

When Steve didn't respond to the comment the pilot spoke again. "Commander McGarrett, are you okay?"

This time Steve opened his mouth but nothing came out. He felt like he'd been sucker punched, all the air knocked out of him.

"Sir, I'll take us down and radio for a Medivac."

Steve studied the area the balloon had gone down in. He could see silvery grey pieces of the envelope flapping wildly as they flew overhead, the rotor blades whipping up the breeze into a frenzy. Pulling himself together, Steve turned to the officer, his stoic persona back. "Get us as near as possible."

Before the landing skids had settled on the ground Steve was unbuckling his safety harness and removing his headset. He opened the door, instinctively ducking down under the whirling blades as he went to the rear passenger compartment and grabbed a medical kit, only to have it snagged by the pilot's hand.

"Medivac will have to catch up." Steve scowled, his voice dark and threatening.

The young officer held the kit's strap firmly, unperturbed by Steve's aggressive stance. "I don't doubt that, but I'm coming with you. I know these trails like the back of my hand."

Steve yanked hard, freeing the bag and throwing it over his shoulder. "Fine. Now let's get going."

"Keep up." The clipped response from his new companion.

"Self-assured and stubborn like someone else I know. Great." Steve smiled and shook his head.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Steve wouldn't admit it – well maybe he would later when Danny was safe – but he needed his new colleague. The wooded area they'd been navigating had endless trails seemingly heading in the same direction until they branched off without warning. Due to the early hour the park was deserted, apart from their own heavy breathes, the only sound was from birds flying above the tree canopy and the rippling water of a nearby river.

The forest held a sense of foreboding that Steve couldn't shake and that feeling only intensified as he climbed up over a ridge, almost tripping over someone's legs.

"We have a body." Steve called out as he crouched down, turning the man's torso towards him. "It's Carlisle. He been shot multiple times."

"I have another body other here. GSW to the head." The pilot studied the ground around him. "There are medical supplies scattered everywhere."

Steve gave Carlisle one last look before continuing on the same route. "We must be near, let's keep moving."

It wasn't long before they reached their target, the hot air balloon's envelope clear to see, a tangled mess in the branches ahead.

Steve's heart was in his throat when he caught sight of Danny, slumped, unmoving against a tree, the basket swaying overhead.

"Hey buddy, how are you doing?" Steve took in Danny's appearance, his partner's face was battered and swollen. His shirt torn, and stained with dried blood.

"Steve." Danny squinted up at his partner.

Steve let out a sigh of relief. He dropped the medical kit he carried next to Danny before kneeling down by his friend. "I got you now, Danno."

"Ryan, he alright?" Danny said weakly as he lifted his hand, trying to point in no particular direction.

"He okay?" Steve looked over towards his companion, who gave a shake of his head as he checked the guy's pulse. Ryan was lying face down in the undergrowth.

"Sorry, Danno, he didn't make it."

"He didn't deserve…" Danny swallowed hard.

"Hey, he chose this life. He knew the risks."

"He was young, misguided. Kakalina?"

"Local law enforcement are taking care of her as we speak, thanks to you. Your intel was spot on, buddy."

"I guess it makes you getting me shot worth it." Danny's words were cut short by a deep throaty cough that racked his body.

"Easy, let me take a look at you." Steve lifted Danny's blooded shirt. "Ryan do this?"

"Yea, he wasn't all bad." Danny groaned.

"Sorry, buddy, I haven't got anything for the pain."

"No drugs." Danny closed his eyes. "'m tired."

"Oh no you don't. Stay awake, Danno." Steve gave his friend a gentle shake. "Hey, you hear me?"

Danny's eyes fluttered open. Steve held the palm of his hand against Danny's forehead. "You're burning up."

"I don't feel so good. Carlisle, pumped me full of drugs."

"Can you pass me a bottle of water?" Steve shouted to his companion.

Steve sat against the tree, squeezing in behind Danny, being careful not to move his friend unnecessarily. "Relax back against me."

Danny did as he was asked letting his head rest against his friend's chest. Steve gently rubbed Danny's upper arm. "Comfortable?"

"Better." A ghost of a smile crossed Danny's face.

"Here, drink just a little." The pilot squatted down in front of the two men.

Danny took a sip of water before pushing the bottle away with one hand. "Thanks. He have a name?"

"I… don't…" Steve's looked away. "Sorry."

"You didn't ask him?"

"I was a little preoccupied." Steve rolled his eyes.

"That's fine. Name's Doug."

"Meet Steve." Danny mumbled. "My buffoon of a partner."

Steve shook his head. "Thanks, Doug. How long until the medics reach us?"

"They're twenty minutes out."

"Not gonna last that long." Danny slurred the last few words.

"Yes you will. I didn't travel two thousand, four hundred miles for you to give up on me."

"That many?" Danny blew out a slow steady breath.

"Two thousand, four hundred and sixty seven miles to be precise." Steve grinned, although the tight worry lines etched on his face clearly showed his concern.

Doug stood up. "I'll radio them again. See if they can pick up the pace."

Steve nodded. "Thank you."

"This sucks." Danny groused as he tried to get into a more agreeable position.

"I'll remember to pack pillows next time." Steve sighed deeply.

"Your bedside manner needs work."

Steve ignored the remark. "We found Carlisle's body. You wanna tell me what happened."

"Kakalina gave me up."

"Shit." Steve ran one hand down his face. "Sorry, Danny. I didn't even consider her a risk."

"Stop with the apologies, huh. She had no choice."

Silence stretched between them and Steve noticed Danny's breathing even out. "Danno, no sleeping. Keep talking to me."

"Trying. Ryan shot Carlisle. Hit me. Ryan and Kakalina were a couple."

"So Carlisle took care of their relationship by taking Kakalina for himself and making both their lives hell."

"Like Tani said, a real charmer." Danny hissed in a breath between his teeth, pressing his hand against his bloodied side.

"How about you lay down? Take the pressure off your side."

"'m good. Keep talking." Danny ground out.

"I hired a Camaro."

"You're kidding?"

"I figured I'd need something faster than the Silverado if I was gonna keep up with a bunch of carjackers."

"Tani's Bolt is quicker than your truck." Danny took a deep breath before slowly blowing it out. "Let me guess, it's red?"

"Silver."

"I liked my silver one."

"Yeah, it was great car."

"A sweet ride until you got it blown up." Danny's voice was raspy, his breathing more laboured.

"Me?" Steve chuckled. "That was all El Condor."

"Trouble magnet."

"Stop complaining. You ended up with a faster, sleeker looking model."

"I rarely drive it."

"Now you're exaggerating. You drive it plenty. Remember Max's yellow Camaro?"

"Yeah, I miss…"

Steve felt a shift in his friends breathing. "Danno, Danny. Don't you give up on me." Steve shock Danny as hard as he dared, but he was unresponsive. "We need that Medivac now."

Doug held up to fingers. "Two minutes."

Steve checked Danny's neck, relieved to feel a pulse.

"Hang in there, buddy. Just a few more minutes." With his arms wrapped around Danny's torso, Steve gave him a tight hug.

**~ to be continued ~**


	9. Chapter 9

Heart racing, Danny reached for something solid. He was falling through the trees again, branches dripping with blood, tearing at him.

_Steve_. He called out for his best friend. He had to save him. Steve had been shot. He was bleeding everywhere. Now, they were crashing.

"Sir, please calm down. You're in the hospital."

The voice was distant. Danny didn't trust it.

"Danno, you're in good hands, try to relax." Danny squeezed the hand back that held his.

"Commander, you shouldn't be here. Please wait outside."

This caught his attention. Danny took a deep breath and opened his eyes before quickly closing them. The light was too bright. There were too many faces. All the movement and sounds made him nauseous.

" _Commander_ , I will call security."

"Hang in there, buddy."

He tried to hold on to his anchor but all his strength had evaporated, his friend's fingers slowly slipping from his grasp.

Danny watched Steve being lifted clear of the wreckage. Fear consumed him when he realized he couldn't move. This wasn't good. Steve needed backup. No question. There might be a lot of bitching, but where his partner went, Danny followed. He couldn't lose his best friend.

And then the basket swayed wildly, threatening to toss him out. Expecting branches again, he winced and flailed, bracing himself the best he could. Desperate, he tried to hold on, but his bloody hands kept slipping. Without warning, Danny fell into the void. Voice gone, thoughts fading until there was nothing left.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

" _How's our boy?" Lou's voice was full of concern._

"Holding his own. The blood loss and gunshot wound are the main concerns." Steve paused, sitting down in a chair near the entrance to the ER. "He has a laundry list of injuries."

" _Yea, and he's as tough as they come. You tell him Grace and Charlie are waiting for their old man to take them for shave ice."_

Steve grinned. "Grace? Shave ice?"

" _Hey, you're never too old for a large Pink Lemon Sour."_

"I'll take your word for it."

" _How you holding up?"_

"I'm good." Steve rested his forehead on one hand and stared at the cool floor between his feet.

" _That's horse shit and you know it. I'm surprised you're not in there supervising."_

"I tried. They kicked me out." Steve sat back with his head against the wall. He blew out a long breath. "Lou, tell me something that makes all this worthwhile."

" _Danny's intel was spot on. Junior and HPD are taking the last of our perps into custody as we speak. Carlisle's operation was far larger than we first thought."_

"That's great news. Governor Mahoe's already been on the phone to Kakalina."

" _How is she?"_

"Physically? Unscathed. Emotionally? A wreck. I'm waiting for the all clear before I see her."

" _There must be something up with this line, because I swear you said you're waiting for permission."_

"Yea, we pissed off the Sheriff. What he's been trying to do for a year, we did in just over a month. I'm letting him have his moment of glory for picking up Kakalina."

Steve looked up when one of Sheriff Cane's deputies appeared through the emergency room doors.

"Commander McGarrett, You can see Miss Iosua now."

Steve stood up, moving the phone away from his ear. "I'll finish up this call and be straight in."

"She's in room six." The deputy replied before walking towards the exit.

"I gotta go. As soon as I have any news you'll be the first to hear."

" _Hold up. One more thing. Tell Danny we recovered the Aston Martin. Reunited it with Mr Chambers. I can only imagine the guilt trip Danny's been on over the beating the guy took."_

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. "And he blames himself for you and Tani ending up in the hospital."

"I'm fine, and Tani's a lot like Kono - and you - she's not gonna let a little car crash stop her. And she's got Junior for a mother hen. That boy's got it bad."

Steve hummed his response. He knew about mother hens. He swore he'd never complain about Danny again.

"Hey, don't worry about Danny. He'll be back to nagging you to death in no time. It's gonna take a little more than a balloon mishap to keep him down." Lou sighed loud enough for Steve to hear across the miles. "You take care, okay? Keep me in the loop."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Steve nodded to the uniformed officer standing by the entrance to the room. She pushed the door open and stuck her head in. "You have a visitor."

"Hello, Miss Iosua, I'm Commander Steve McGarrett, head of Five-0." Steve smiled at the nurse in the room tidying a medical cart.

"I know who you are." Kakalina wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She sat on the edge of the bed, a bundle of clothes next to her. Hugging her knees, she picked at the hem of her gown.

"Are you going home?" Steve pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Tomorrow." She set a box of tissues in her lap. She focused on it as she continued to speak. "My mom and dad are flying in. I've a room booked at a local hotel tonight. Something my aunt arranged no doubt."

"That's good. I bet they can't wait to see you. Everyone's been worried."

Kakalina shrugged her shoulders. "I guess."

Steve leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs, trying to make eye contact with the young woman in front of him. "I have some questions I need to ask."

"I've already given a statement to the other cops." Kakalina looked up briefly, tucking a strand of loose brown hair behind her ear.

"I know. I promise to keep this brief." When he didn't receive a response Steve continued. "How did you know Detective Williams was working undercover?"

Kakalina started to cry again, she pulled a bunch of tissues from the box. "Did he kill Ryan?"

"No. The hot air balloon they were in crashed." Steve frowned. "I'm sorry no one told you."

"They did, sorta. My aunt said he was a criminal and wasn't worth my tears."

"I know this is hard for you. I'm sorry, but I need you to answer my question."

"Drayton, visited a couple of times. Stayed a day or two at a time before flying back to Hawaii. This one time he had too much to drink, dropped his phone on…" Kakalina covered her eyes with her hands and shook her head.

"Hey, take your time." Steve spoke softly.

"He went to the bathroom. The phone was on the bed. I was shocked when I found the screen unlocked, so I scrolled through his texts and found some photos." Kakalina looked Steve in the eye for the first time since he'd entered the room. "There were pictures of cars and in one there were some men. Detective Williams was one of them. I didn't know his name, but I recognized him."

"Why didn't you tell Drayton at the time?"

"I was too scared. I told Ryan instead."

"Was it Ryan's idea to tell Drayton?"

Kakalina looked down at her hands and nodded. "He thought it might buy us sometime. Make Drayton think we were worth having around."

"Did Drayton speak about his businesses? Places? People? Maybe he bragged about the cars?"

"No. Never. He was always very careful about what he said when I was around." Kakalina blew her nose, sniffing a few times. "I'm sorry about Detective Williams. Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yea, he'll be fine." Steve spoke with more conviction than he felt.

**~ to be continued ~**


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience. This chapter took a while to get right. Hopefully it's worth the wait.
> 
> Phoebe also needs to take credit for this chapter, she helped shape it with her amazing suggestions.

 

Danny scratched his nose, dislodging the nasal cannula. He traced his dry, chapped lips with his fingertips, suddenly feeling thirsty. He cracked one eye open, and then the other, half expecting to slam them shut against the bright lights. Thankfully, he was greeted by a dimly lit room.

Sighing, he lay there for a moment, listening. He could hear the usual hum of the hospital and what he guessed was trees flicking against the window. Pushing aside his newfound dislike for anything with branches, he focused, eyes blinking away what felt like a week's worth of crust. And he knew instinctively that he was alone.

Back to his primary objective, he took a deep breath. Danny was wary of moving too much. Right then, he was comfortable, still floating a little on pain meds. But he really needed a drink. A brush fire raged in his throat, and every swallow hurt. He felt around for the call button, and he almost cried when he realized it had fallen just out of reach.

He'd been through some fierce firefights and many seemingly impossible situations. Surely, he could check for a cup of water. There had to be something close by - ice chips maybe. With another slow breath, Danny turned his head to where he hoped he'd find a bedside table. His eyes watered a little when he spotted a cup with a straw poking out of the top, sitting there waiting. He barely registered the empty chair. Relief was so close.

Stretching his arm, Danny grabbed the rim of the cup, finding his fingers tingling and almost useless. Fumbling with the lid, he tipped over his salvation.

Danny thumped the bed with his fist in frustration and instantly regretted it. He winced, gritting his teeth against the pain shooting down his back. Focusing on his breathing, he took slow even breaths, trying to keep his emotions under control. He could do this, surely someone would check on him soon.

Time ticked by slowly and his mind wandered. Danny had a vague recollection of a doctor and Steve.  _Antibiotics. Dehydrated._ The random words made no sense. Searching his memories felt like wading through syrup.

Carefully, he looked towards the empty chair, but something captured his attention and his next breath caught in his throat. A back brace lay on a nearby cart. His stomach twisted with anxiety as the doctor's words came back to him.  _Spinal fracture_.  _Was he paralyzed?_  His heart raced at the sudden realization, and a monitor next to his bed wailed.

Danny didn't notice the nurse in navy blue scrubs enter the room and switch off the alarm, as he gripped the sheets with both hands. He was falling, out of control, and fear crushed his chest.

"Detective Williams. You're safe. Try to slow your breathing."

_Safe_. Her voice brought him back a little.

"You're in the hospital. Can you open your eyes for me?"

She untangled his leads but was careful not to touch him. He could feel her caution and concern. His heart still pounding, he obeyed and opened his eyes.

"There you are. Relax. Focus on my voice. Take a nice, deep breath in, then slowly blow it out."

"Am I paralyzed?" Danny blurted, feeling confused and overwhelmed.

"Wiggle your toes."

Blushing at how ridiculous he felt, Danny did as he was told. And to his utter fabulous relief, his toes wiggled.

"Good." The nurse smiled. "We got that out of the way. Now, I have to check your vitals. Is that okay?"

"Sure." Danny wanted to hug her.

She applied and adjusted a blood pressure cuff, very gentle with his arm. He stared at her ponytail, swaying back and forth as she worked, figuring she was maybe ten years older than Grace.

"Much better." Her voice soothed him. She spotted the spill on the table. "I guess you're thirsty, huh? Let me fetch you some fresh water."

"Thanks." Danny rasped.

"Your friend will need to buy some new reading materiel." She made a sad face while holding up two soggy magazines.

Danny wrinkled his nose as he read the titles.  _UFO Truth. Close Encounters_.

She hesitated by the bed, a hint of concern creeping across her fair skinned features. "You okay? Can I get you anything else?"

He shook his head.  _Jerry. Had he been here? And where was Steve?_

"Detective Williams, are you sure you're alright?"

"My friends? Where'd they go?"

"Tall, dark and handsome sent your other friend to get some rest."

Danny flashed a smile and closed his eyes.  _Tall, dark and handsome._ Just what Steve needed to hear.

The nurse chuckled and added."Knew I could get you to smile. Commander McGarrett went out for some coffee, I think."

She disappeared from the room, returning promptly with a jug and cup with a lid. "Here, you'll be less likely to spill this. Now just a little."

He took a couple of sips before passing it back to her. "What time is it?"

"Four AM." She straightened Danny's bedding. "Now try to get some sleep. If you need me, I'm right outside at the nurses station."

The short exchange of words with the nurse was exhausting and Danny drifted off to sleep, questions about his visitors forgotten.

She placed the call button on the bed near to his right hand and patted his arm gently. "Press it if you need anything."

"'kay." Danny murmured.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

_He's a very lucky man._ The words from the doctor repeated in Steve's head. Danny didn't look  _lucky_ when Steve first set eyes on him in the ICU. His partner's face was a patchwork of purple and green bruises. Butterfly stitches on his cheek and above one eye. His arms were covered in cuts and scratches. The tox screen showed trace amounts of Ketamine in his system. Danny's elevated blood pressure and general confusion were a lingering effect of the drug.

The gunshot wound had missed Danny's vital organs but required irrigating and a course of antibiotics to stave off any infection. Healing from a GSW was par for the course with them, unfortunately. Something they could handle easily - which sounded absurd if he was honest. But it was familiar, and Steve knew steps to take next.

The bombshell he wasn't expecting was about his friend's back. In the fall Danny had sustained a compression fracture of the spine. Steve instantly thought the worst – paralysis. The doctor had assured them both that this was not the case and the injury would mend fully on its own without the need for surgery. He estimated a three month recovery period.

Thankfully, from what Steve could tell, Danny didn't appear to understand a word of what the doctor said. His partner had been pumped full of drugs to alleviate any pain, so when he wasn't sleeping he was as high as a kite. Grinning at Steve like a Cheshire Cat. Irritating as this was, he would swap a maddening Danny for the current one.

Steve glanced up from what he was reading for the umpteenth time. Still his partner slept. The nurse had told him everything was fine, and Danny merely needed rest and time to mend. Patience wasn't Steve's strong point, and Jerry's idea of reading material was questionable. Fatigued and emotionally drained, he hadn't absorbed a single word.

He tossed the magazine onto a table with a sigh. "I need coffee, Danno. Lots of coffee. I never thought watching you sleep could be so exhausting."

Jerry spoke in a hushed tone as he stuck his head in the door. "Is it okay to come in?"

"Get in here, Jerry. And stop whispering. I doubt even a hand grenade would wake him. I'm starting to think this is payback for me getting him shot."

Jerry gently closed the door. "I don't follow. You weren't there."

"You see, in Danny's world, I don't need to actually be there. We could be in different time zones. It will always be my fault."

"Maybe I should come back." Jerry fumbled with some paperwork.

Steve scrubbed his face with one hand wearily. "It's three in the morning, Jerry. What's so important?

Jerry gave the room a cursory check before moving towards Danny's bed.

"Apart from sleeping beauty here, we're alone." Steve rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well, you can never be too sure." Jerry moved a cup of water on to the magazine Steve had just put down to make space for the manila folder he held. "I did some digging."

"Okay, Jerry, what did you find?" Steve leaned toward the bedside table. Exhausted as he was he was hungry for anything that could help their case. And Jerry always seemed to know which rock to turn over.

Jerry spread out a few photos almost hesitantly. "The governor isn't going to be happy."

Steve frowned. "Where were these taken?"

"The question isn't where, but when? February twelfth. And they look a little cozy, don't they?"

"Four months ago? You're sure?" Steve's expression became serious.

"Yep. Ryan Jarvis might not have been too smart, but Kakalina is a 4.0 law student, so I didn't buy into her reasons for outing..." Jerry paused, glancing at Danny. "Do you think maybe we should go outside?"

"He's fine. Keep going."

"My theory is she's been working with Carlisle, giving him insider information. Maybe they're dating. I can't be sure." Jerry's voice was a little rushed, excited. "They stole a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible back in January. It was part of a private collection owned by a retired government advisor. He had the latest security tech in place. It can't be a coincidence that she knew this guy and had spent the Christmas holiday at his house with her family."

"This is the governor's niece you're accusing." Steve blew out a deep breath. "I need evidence, not theories, Jerry."

"I know. That's why I'm here. I thought you could..." Jerry ducked his head, his eyes darting from side to side.

"Spit it out Jerry. Can I what?" Steve stared at Jerry wide eyed.

"You have contacts inside certain  _agencies_." Jerry whispered the last word.

"Yes, I do. Let's take this conversation outside." Steve rested his hand on Danny's arm. "I'll be back in a while, buddy."

"On second thought, maybe we should stay inside Danny's room. You ever watched The Sopranos? They always had their secret meetings in the exam room."

Steve sighed loaded and pointed to the door. "Start walking. We need to finish this discussion. You have a long flight home tomorrow and I need coffee."

Jerry gathered up his paperwork and hurried into the corridor. Steve followed, checking his friend was still sleeping before closing the door.

"The thing is." Jerry lowered his head and fiddled with the badge hanging around his neck. "I already spoke to Lou, and he's got Tani and Junior chasing down some leads."

Steve gave Jerry's shoulder a quick reassuring squeeze. "That's great work, Jerry, but this stays between the team until we have a solid case."

"My gut is telling me I'm right about this."

"In all honesty Jerry, from what you've shown me, I agree. But we need to tread carefully."

"Understood." Jerry nodded in agreement.

"I'll make some calls in the morning. Now go get some rest."

"Will do." Jerry turned and walked away.

"Hey." Steve called after Jerry. "You forgot your magazines."

"Nah, you can keep them. And commander, be sure to read the Black Knight conspiracy - a 13,000-year-old alien artifact."

"I'll give them to Danny." Steve smiled mischievously.

"Don't forget to tell him I said hello." Jerry shouted over his shoulder, before disappearing around the corner.

**~ to be continued ~**


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for reading. When I started this story I planned on writing maybe eight or nine chapters. I honestly never thought I would be posting chapter eleven and beyond. Thanks for sticking with it and I hope these next few chapters don't disappoint.

Danny smacked Steve's hand away. "Will you stop fussing, please. I need to do this on my own."

"I'm not disputing that, but the doc said there's no harm in taking an assist." Steve sighed loudly. "You're staying with me, remember, so get used to it."

"How could I forget? You remind me every chance you get." Danny wrapped the back brace around his torso, holding it in place with one hand, while struggling to fasten the straps with the other. "An assist? I'm not one of your SEAL ops."

"Hey, what's up with you today?"

"Me? Oh, I'm fine, babe. Just peachy." Danny gave Steve a fake smile.

"It should be lower. Below your navel. And straighten out your shirt." Steve tugged on the hem of Danny's white t-shirt. "It should be smooth against your skin."

"Would you stop manhandling me?" Danny snagged Steve wrist. "Haven't you got somewhere to be? Did you pick up my script for pain meds?"

"Yes dear, I stopped by the pharmacy on my way here." Steve yanked his arm free. "See, I have nowhere else to be. And you still haven't answered my question. Why are you grumpier than usual?"

"Maybe it's because I have an annoying, overprotective partner. Did you consider that?"

"I'm not buying it. There's something else."

"Okay you win." Danny gestured with his free hand to the brace he wore. "This torture device is a waste of time."

"Doctor's orders, Danny. And you need the support. Think of it like wearing a tac vest" Steve attempted to lighten the mood.

"Yea, and I hate wearing those too. It usually means I'm getting shot at because – " Danny didn't finish the sentence, instead he closed his eyes and held his breath.

"You okay?" Steve reached out his hand, desperate for the contact. "Danno, talk to me."

Danny blew out a slow even breath. "Crap, that hurts."

"Is it the gunshot wound or your back?"

"Both." Danny opened his eyes and glared at Steve. "And no, I don't need the nurse or help."

Steve held up both hands in surrender before sitting down on the edge of Danny's hospital bed. "It's only been two weeks, buddy. Give it time."

"If our roles were reversed you would have discharged yourself after two days. And you wouldn't follow doctor's orders." Danny bent his arm back awkwardly, trying to snag one of the straps. He missed it completely, groaning in frustration. "I can't even put my own socks on."

"You sure the brace is the problem? Or is it the fact the Governor loaned us her private jet?"

"You failed to tell me she's been stonewalling our investigation. The guys can't get near Kakalina."

"You spoke to Lou?" Steve asking incredulously.

"No, Jerry." Danny stopped trying to fit the brace and fixed Steve with a hard stare. "I knew you wouldn't want me worrying about the case while I'm laid up, so I called the one person who'd cave and tell me everything."

"Now I know why he tripped over his words the last time I spoke to him. Guess he was worried about what I'd say if I knew."

"He's an easy mark. I promised Jerry I'd let him take me to Hawaii ParaCon."

Steve shook his head in disbelief. "That I have got to see."

"What's the deal with the Governor?"

"She's not making it easy for us. Elections are coming up, and she doesn't want to compromise her lead in the polls."

"Yea, she's probably sabotaged our plane, so we never make it back."

"Remind me never to let you read Jerry's magazines again. I preferred having Scully as a partner. Two Mulders on the team is one too many."

"Babe, you are such a putz." Danny couldn't help but grin. "And when have you ever watched the X-Files?"

Steve got up and placed both his hands on Danny's shoulders. The two men locked eyes. "You sure you wanna do this? I can cancel the flight. Book us into a hotel."

Danny stuck out his bottom lip and thought for a second. "Nah, I promised Charlie I'd be home in time for his birthday."

"Then that's our first objective. We'll deal with the Governor and Kakalina when we're back on the island."

Danny relaxed a little. "Yea, okay. Now help me with this."

Steve gave a lopsided grin. "Lift your arms up slightly. This is more like a corset. I wonder if it comes in a pretty color to match your eyes."

"Now you're making fun of the invalid?" Danny pocked Steve in the chest. "And what do you know about corsets, huh?"

"Victoria Secret. You introduced me, remember?"

"Yea, but you realize this is nothing like sexy underwear. An eighteenth century version maybe."

"Now you're an authority on the history of women's lingerie?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Enough. Now shut up and get this over with before I do change my mind."

"Did the nurse change your dressing?"

"Yea, she said to make sure the brace doesn't rub on it."

Steve pulled on one of the straps. "Tell me if its too tight?"

Danny hissed. "That's enough. I'd like to still be able to breath."

Both men glanced towards the bedside table when Steve cell buzzed. Lou Grover appeared on the screen.

Steve frowned as he picked up the device and answered the call. "Lou, everything okay?"

" _The kids asked me to check in with you guys." Lou chuckled. "I think they're missing mom and dad."_

"Very funny, Lou." Steve answered dryly.

" _Seriously, how are you too holding up?"_

"We're good." Steve paused to watch his friend. Unable to disguise his pain, Danny moved gingerly around the room looking for what Steve guessed were his sneakers.

"Danno, by the bed." Steve pointed with his free hand.

"Sorry, Lou. We're leaving for the airport soon."

" _Not a moment too soon. Grace and Charlie are missing their dad and their uncle Steve."_

"Any news on the case? Danny spoke to Jerry. He said the Governor's still not cooperating."

_Lou cleared his throat. "Did I miss something? When did those two become kindred spirits?"_

Steve laughed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Either Jerry's crazy theories are rubbing off on Danny or he landed on his head not his ass."

"Hey, I'm standing right here." Danny exclaimed loudly.

Steve thumbed the hands free icon. "You're on speaker, Lou. Whatcha got?"

" _Yea, the Governor is being less than helpful, but she seems to forget we have immunity and means."_

"Which means you've got something." Steve glanced at Danny, hopeful that they had a lead at last.

" _Oh, yea. We've still got nothing concrete linking her to the car jackings, but Little Miss Perfect is not so perfect. Seems she's liked flirting with the wrong side of the law from a young age. The rebellious type. Underage drinking, petty theft. Parents put her in an all-girls school. That worked for awhile. Hell, she even got herself some good grades and into law school."_

"I hear another but coming." Steve massaged his temple.

" _Yep. You can't keep a bad girl down for long. She loves life in the fast lane and I mean that literally. Street racing. High end street racing to be precise. Expensive muscle cars and the men who go with them."_

"And that's where she met Carlisle." Danny answered this time.

" _Right. The two of them struck up a relationship, a romance that was kept strictly on the down low until Ryan came on the scene and she fell for him."_

"Carlisle found out?" Danny moved closer, shoes forgotten.

" _Right again. That's when it all fell apart. Looks like she got a kick out of playing the damsel in distress. I figure she started to panic when she clocked Danny in that photo on Carlisle's phone."_

"Girl deserves an Oscar. She fooled me."

"She fooled us all, Danno."

Steve cut the hands free and put the phone to his ear. "Good work, Lou. Keep digging."

" _Will do, and you focus on getting Danny home."_

"Thanks, pal." Steve ended the call and turned to Danny. "I know what you're thinking. This is not on you. No one could have predicted this."

"See, that's where you're wrong. I wasn't thinking anything like that."

"What then?"

"I was trying to figure out how to get my sneakers on."

**~ to be continued ~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for keeping you all waiting, yet again. I started a new job, so I've had less time to write. Any normal person would wind this story up, but oh no, not me, I've kept on going. Enjoy.

Steve silenced the Silverado's engine before turning to observe his partner. Danny sat motionless, his eyes closed, head resting on the passenger window. Neither one of them had spoken since pulling out of the Honolulu International Airport's parking lot. They had left the Napa Valley hospital over seven hours earlier. The journey had been long and exhausting for both of them.

"Hey, Danno, we're home." Steve tried to stifle a yawn.

"Your home, not mine." Danny kept his eyes shut.

"We've been over this. You're staying with me."

"Hmm." Danny made no attempt to move.

"How are you feeling?"

"I no longer want to kill myself, so better." Danny cracked one eye open to glance at Steve. "That flight tops your list of bad ideas."

" _My_ list of bad ideas?" Steve shook his head. "I offered to book us into a hotel. Charlie would have understood."

"He would have been disappointed."

"Come on, buddy. It's over with. Let's get you inside."

"Easy for you to say." Danny groaned as he straightened up.

"You gonna puke again?"

"No." Danny grinned. "Do you think the Governor will send us a cleaning bill?"

"If she does, you're paying it."

"Not gonna happen. It's called payback."

"Yea, and you gave it by the bucket load. Now, stay put. I'll help you." Steve climbed out of the truck and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for his partner.

"I'm good. The pain meds are kicking in." Danny brushed off Steve's attempt to support him. "Get the bags."

"Yes, sir." Steve gave a mock salute.

"You sound like Junior."

"Not anymore. Lou banned him from saying it."

"Remind me to thank him later." Danny took slow, deliberate steps towards the house, pain lines etched across his face.

"We should have taken the hospital's advice and got a wheelchair. Looks like you could use it right now." Steve moved aside and watched his friend.

"Would you please stop fussing. It's bad enough that I have to wear this brace."

Giving in, Steve collected two black duffle bags from the rear seat and headed for the front door, passing his friend on the way. He dropped the bags at his feet and waited.

"I thought you said the meds helped." Steve put the key in the lock, waiting for Danny. "You're walking like an old man."

Danny didn't respond; instead the two friends froze. Steve held the key, half turned. His gaze leaving Danny's to fall on the gun aimed at his partner.

"Hello, Vincent Raines." The female voice spoke softly.

"You let her get the drop on us, babe. How is that even possible?"

"This is on you. If you weren't whining all the time I would have heard."

"W _hiny_." Danny exclaimed loudly.

"Shut the hell up." Kakalina pressed the muzzle of the handgun into the small of Danny's back making him hiss.

"Yea, whiny and annoying." Steve kept his eyes locked on the weapon.

"That's rich. You are infuriating, controlling, indomitable…" Danny shifted to one side the instant he saw Steve let go of the key.

Steve grabbed the barrel of the gun, forcing it skyward, with his other hand he seized Kakalina's wrist and twisted it until she fell to her knees.

"Next time, you might wanna take the safety off." Steve passed the gun to Danny.

"Whiny? You were kidding, right?" Danny removed the clip and stuffed it into his jean's pocket.

"Indomitable?" Steve laughed. "I'm surprised you know what that means."

"You two ever shut up?" Kakalina tried to wriggle free of Steve's firm hold.

"Nah." They spoke in unison.

"Danno, the truck's still unlocked. You okay to get the handcuffs? They're in the glove compartment."

"Of course they are." Danny rolled his eyes. "This is not what the doctor ordered."

"Hey, stop fighting me." Steve tugged both Kakalina's arms behind her back. "What were you planning to do? Shoot us both and walk away? Your aunt might be protecting you now, but don't for a second think that protection stretches to the double homicide of two cops."

"Life was good until he –" Kakalina spat in Danny's direction. " – got in the way."

"Classy." Danny paused when he reached the Silverado, leaning on the hood for support. "You played a dangerous game. Messing with Ryan's emotions ultimately caused his and Carlisle deaths."

"It wasn't my fault." She hung her head, tears trickling down her cheeks.

Steve loosened his grip slightly as the fight left her. "Hey, save the tears. You played us all, including Carlisle and Ryan, so cut the crap."

"I'll tell you everything." She attempted to dry her eyes on the sleeve of her blouse. "I have messages on my cell. Drayton sent me details of all his targets."

"Why should we believe you now?" Steve glanced over to Danny. His partner looked fatigued, sweat glistened on his face as he struggled to walk.

Kakalina shrugged her shoulders. "Don't. Your choice."

"I'll call Junior. Get him to take her in." Danny slammed the passenger door shut, leaving the gun on the front seat.

"Hey, buddy, toss me the cuffs, then get yourself inside and sit down before you fall down."

Danny wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before throwing the handcuffs to Steve.

Steve momentarily released Kakalina to catch them. She smiled at Danny for the briefest moment before reaching for something at her ankle, pulling an object from her boot. It glinted in the afternoon sun and he instinctively went for the weapon that wasn't there.

"Knife." Danny yelled, but that one word was drowned out by Kakalina's shrill scream. She launched herself toward Steve, sinking the blade deep into his abdomen. He staggered backwards, gripping the handle of the knife buried in his gut, blood oozing from the wound. The colour drained from his face and he crumpled to the ground.

Adrenaline pumping, Danny ran towards his best friend. "Steve, Steve."

Fighting the pain and nausea trying to envelop him Danny fell to his knees at Steve's side. Gritting his teeth he ripped the brace from his body, tossing it to the side. He stripped off his shirt and wrapped it around the blade, pushing hard to stem the bleeding. Steve's eyes shot open and he groaned loudly.

"Babe, I need you to put pressure on the wound." Danny placed both of Steve's hands around the bundle of materiel. The white cotton quickly turning crimson. "I need to call for help."

"Danno, I'm good. Where's the gun?" Steve gazed past Danny and straight at Kakalina. She glared back at him, her eyes full of spite, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Truck." Danny reached into his back pocket and pulled out his cell, the device almost slipping through his fingers. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to purge his mind of the images of Steve wounded and dying, blood pooling under the pilot's seat. A warm hand on his thigh startled him back to the present.

Face screwed up with pain, Steve fought to control his breathing as he urged his friend to move. "Secure her, Danny.

"Yea, secure me, Danny." Kakalina taunted. "Let's see who can get to that gun first."

"Shit." Danny groaned, eyes scanning for the handcuffs as he kept the pressure on Steve's wound.

Spotting what he needed, he let go of his friend and snagged the cuffs. Kakalina scrambled away, laughing. Danny threw himself at her, using everything he had. Miraculously, he grabbed her ankle, tripping her. She fell hard, completely taken off guard, and smacked her head on something.

"Is she out?" Steve panted. "Danny, get her. Now."

Danny heard Steve but his voice sounded far away. Everything whited out for a few seconds. His heart raced and he dug his fingernails into Kakalina's ankle. No way was she escaping.

"Danny."

This time, he jumped at his name, checking Kakalina. She was out cold.

"Steve, stay awake. Do not die on me."

"Not. Dying." Steve's forced out the two words.

"Glad to hear it." Danny held the cell to his ear. When the operator answered he barely let her finish the standard greeting before he spoke. "This is Detective Williams with the Five-0 task force, badge number 7576. I need assistance, my partner is down."

**~ to be continued ~**


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for keeping you all waiting, yet again. This chapter is quite short but I hope you enjoy it. The last part is all Phoebe and her evil muse's doing. I will do my best to post the next chapter soon.

Danny let the cell phone slip from his grasp as the last traces of adrenaline left his body. Still knelt by Steve's side, weak and unsteady, he rested one hand on the rough ground in front of him in a vain attempt to stay upright. He watched Steve's eyes slip shut, his arms dropping to his sides. The silence was surreal. One minute Steve was still giving orders and then nothing.

"No no no no no..." Danny couldn't believe what he was seeing. How could this be happening.

Gritting his teeth, he controlled himself and battled back.

"Steve, hey, you still with me?" Danny asked frantically.

He wanted to scream. The pain had returned with a vengeance. An imaginary hand reached in and tried to crush every vertebrae, ripping them free from his body. Danny's vision swam as a wave of nausea washed over him, his skin felt damp, palms slick with sweat.

"Help is on the way." Danny's voice wavered as his trembling fingers searched for a pulse. He let out a noise that was part laughter, part sob as his fingers slipped down Steve's neck until they reached the collar of his friend's plaid shirt. He scrunched the fabric tightly, frustration and anger coursing through him.

Danny was losing the fight. The debilitating pain coupled with the burning sun on his bare skin became unbearable. But he was stubborn, and he needed to know if his friend was alive. Gathering his last vestiges of strength he released his grip on the shirt, placing his fingers on Steve's neck.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"What did Duke say exactly?" Tani fastened her safety belt.

"Danny called dispatch. Said Steve was down. Stab wound to the abdomen." Junior reversed Tani's Bolt onto the road outside her house. "How's your head?"

"Junes, I'm good. Stop fussing. Tell me about the perp."

"Unclear. Danny didn't give any detail. He cut the call short. HPD and a bus are en route."

"That can't be good. Danny does things by the book. Why would he leave those details out?" Tani stared out of the passenger window, a look of unease on her face. "I don't get it. They just got back."

"I don't know what to tell you. Danny could be in bad shape, he's fresh out of the hospital. This could well be linked to the Carlisle case."

"Or it could be some low life scumbag out for revenge. Our bosses have put away enough of them over the years."

"Whatever the reason, I hope they took the perp down." Junior smacked the steering wheel in frustration.

"You and me both."

"I called Lou. He and Jerry are on their way." Junior swerved in and out of the slow moving traffic. "He didn't sound too pleased at having Jerry drive him."

"Trust me, I feel his pain." Tani dug her fingernails into the passenger seat as Junior took a sharp left.

Junior glanced across at her. "Hey, you do realize neither of you are even cleared for duty? And the doc said you shouldn't drive for at least another week."

"Like that would stop you." Tani gave him a hard look. "We're Ohana and when someone hurts one of our own, we do whatever it takes."

"I get it. I j-just. Never mind."

"Hey, I worry about you too."

Junior smiled fondly at Tani. "Thanks for loaning me your car. The garage should have mine fixed in a day or two."

"Anytime, Junes." Tani sat up straighter in her seat. "Did anyone try to call Danny?"

"Yep. Goes to voicemail."

"Crap." Tani sank back down in her seat.

"Take it easy. We're ten minutes out. EMT should have arrived by now."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"Stay with me, babe." Danny tapped Steve's cheek. When he received no response, he grabbed his friend's shoulder, jostling him gently at first, then a little harder causing Steve's head to rock from side to side. "For the love of God, Steven, wake up."

Danny glanced to the side, suddenly aware that Kakalina was no longer where he'd left her unconscious on the driveway. He looked around the immediate area, spotting the cuffs on the ground nearby. She was nowhere to be seen and he berated himself for not following Steve's instructions.

The wail of sirens in the distance jolted Danny back into action. "You hear that? Cavalry's almost here."

He grabbed one of Steve's hands, placing it on the bundle of material at the base of the knife, squeezing it tight. The instant he let go Steve's lifeless limb flopped back down by his side. "Damn it Steve, I said keep pressure on the wound."

"Have it your way. This is gonna hurt." Danny knelt up and pushed down on Steve abdomen with both his palms, fingers spread. The already blood soaked material making it impossible to see if his vain attempt to stop the bleeding was having any effect. "You do not get to die, Steven. Who's gonna drive my car, huh?"

A hand snagged Danny wrist. He lifted his gaze to see two glassy eyes peering at him.

"You." Steve's voice was merely a whisper.

"Where's the fun in that? I need someone to whine at." Danny relaxed a little.

"I thought you didn't whine." Steve forced the words out between heavy, rasping breaths.

"Stop talking. Save your strength."

"Kakalina." Steve blurted out that one word.

"She's gone. I –"

Danny caught movement in his peripheral vision. Kakalina. She had the gun again, and it was pointed right at him.

He straightened, one quick glance at Steve, holding his bloody hands in the air.

"Please, Kakalina, put the gun down. You don't want to do this."

"Oh but I do."

She fired without another word.

**~ to be continued ~**


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with this story. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter.
> 
> Thank you Phoebe, as always, for your great editing skills. I couldn't do this without you.

Kakalina dropped to her knees, a bloody flower blossoming on the front of her blush pink satin blouse. Her smug expression faded to shock before a sneer of defiance had her raising the gun once more. This time levelling it at Danny's head. He glared, chest heaving. For a second, he considered lunging at her but knew his body was in no shape for any more heroics. Danny was at her mercy.

"Lina, stop. It's over." A familiar voice shouted from a distance.

Danny and Kakalina glanced to where the request came from, but the mystery shooter remained out of sight. She tightened her grip on the weapon but Danny caught a slight tremble and the way she licked her dry lips. She blinked rapidly as if trying to clear away the fogginess. His own selfish desire to stay alive kicked in. He prayed Kakalina had minutes, maybe less, before her body succumbed to her injury.

"Do as he said." Danny ordered.

"And give you the satisfaction of locking me up? Never." Kakalina pointed the weapon at her own head. "Goodbye, Detective."

"No, no, no..." His protest was drowned out by the crack of gunfire, and for the second time that sunny afternoon, the fateful shot did not come from Kakalina's weapon. Her bullet missed its intended target shattering a downstairs window instead.

Danny watched, stunned, as blood oozed from a single hole in the center of Kakalina's forehead. The gun fell from her hand, mouth gaping opened slightly, allowing a single trickle of blood to enter. She collapsed to the ground, her lifeless eyes staring back at him.

Someone came between them, blocking Danny's view as they kicked Kakalina's weapon clear and the voice came again from somewhere above him. "You need to go back to cop school. She had another clip."

As Danny fought to process what he was seeing, the man shoved his own gun into his waistband before crouching in front of him. He looked concerned. "Shit, man, you've been hit."

"Nah, 'm good." Danny let his hands drop, feeling relieved, though he still couldn't place why.  _Did he know this guy?_  The fleeting thought didn't matter. He swayed, his vision greying, as he struggled to hold on to consciousness.

"Hate to break it to you, but you are far from good." The guy snapped his fingers. "Hey, stay with me."

Danny stared at him. He reached out but fell short. "Reggie."

"You remember." Reggie giggled. "Sorry, man. I'd like to help you out, but you hear those sirens? I gotta split."

Something small and hard was pressed into Danny's palm, his hand forcibly squeezed around it. "I was wise to this bitch long before you figured it out. Everything you need to know is on the flash drive."

Danny dropped his gaze to his fist, opening it to allow the storage device to slip from his grasp. He vaguely registered the wound to his arm. The bullet had torn through the fleshy part just below his bicep. Blood seeped from the injury, causing the hair on his forearm to glisten in the sunlight.

"She shot me." Danny brushed his fingers along the edge of the wound. When he didn't receive a response he glanced back up. Reggie had gone.

Carlisle's tech geek had been right, Danny was far from good. Barely holding it together. He attempted to stand only to fall on his ass. His stomach rolled and the crackers Steve had forced him to eat on the flight made an unwelcome reappearance. Every retch sent excruciating pain through his whole body. Acrid vomit clawed at the back of his throat as he fought to catch his breath.

Finally giving in to his injuries Danny slumped to the ground. He lay on his side facing Steve, watching the subtle rise and fall of his friend's chest. Desperate for contact he stretched his arm out, his nails scraping at the dirt as they reached for his friend, his fingertips touching the back of Steve's hand.

"Steve." Danny mouthed silently.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Junior parked the Bolt. He hated that Tani had been injured but secretly liked playing chauffeur. He tapped Jerry's van as he and Tani hurried past. They exchanged worried glances. There were far too many people on scene.

"Junes, this feels off. There are more suits here than HPD officers."

"Something's not right."

"I don't see Danny or Steve." Tani surveyed their surroundings.

"Or Jerry." Junior added.

"Captain Grover." Junior yelled to the big man.

Lou stepped away from the rear of one of the two ambulances still on the scene. "How's your head?"

"I'm fine. How's the arm?" Tani rolled her eyes at Junior and then smiled broadly at Lou. "One mother hen is enough."

"Still broken." Lou rubbed the back of his neck with his uninjured hand. "Damn sling is irritating as hell."

Junior cleared his throat, eager to change the subject. "What's the situation here?"

"Please God tell me that's our dead perp -" Tani caught a glimpse of the body hidden under a black tarp. Noelani and a team of forensics were working the area. "- and Steve and Danny are bickering somewhere out back."

Lou sighed loudly. "Kakalina Iosua. GSW to the head and chest."

"Oh shit." Tani scrutinised a nearby group of officials. "She's the reason for all these white-collar dudes?"

"Yea, and I smell a cover-up." Lou looked away briefly, his brow furrowed. "I'm not gonna sugar coat it. This is messed up. Steve's in bad shape. Single stab wound to the abdomen. He's on his way to Queens as we speak. Duke rode with him."

"And Danny?" Fearing the worst Junior glanced at Tani in concern. He couldn't think of any good reasons for why Danny wouldn't be at Steve's side.

"In a world of hurt. He took a bullet to the arm. Not to mention he played hero, tackling Miss losua when she attacked Steve." Lou grinned unexpectedly. "He didn't take well to being told he couldn't ride with Steve. Because of the delicate nature of his back injury they need to take it slow on the way to the hospital."

Tani grimaced. "I wouldn't want to be the medic stuck in the back of that ambulance with him."

"The EMT will be fine. He'll have you to protect him from the Williams' temper."

"You want me to ride with Danny? You don't wanna go check on Steve?"

"Look, I'll be the first to admit that not being at our friends' side when they need us most is tearing me up inside, but we have to make sure that whoever's responsible for this…" Lou paused, struggling to hold it together. "If we let these people have free rein the public will think this broad is vacationing on Maui. Someone is gonna pay and I don't give a rats ass about the governor's election campaign."

"Hey, Lou. We got this. I'll call as soon as I have news." Tani patted him on the back, then headed for the ambulance waiting to leave. "Take care of him Junes."

"Will do." Junior ignored the glare he received from Lou.

"Thanks, but the wife does all the 'taking care of' I need." Lou shouted after her.

Junior studied Lou for second, the big man wore his heart on his sleeve and no amount of joviality could cover the war raging inside him. But Lou was right, they had to uncover the truth about Kakalina and her involvement with Carlisle. With this in mind Junior pushed on. "Where's Jerry?"

"Inside. We may already have a lead." Lou paused, glancing at some of the men in suits before continuing in a hushed tone. "Noelani found a flash drive on the ground. EMT were first on the scene. Luckily for us they didn't spot it. Jerry's checking it out now."

"Let's go and see if it gives us any answers." Junior walked towards the house, closely followed by Lou.

**~ to be continued ~**


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I keep saying this, but sorry to keep you waiting yet again. Better late than never I guess. Thanks, as always, for reading.
> 
> A big shout out to Phoebe Miller for editing this. If you haven't already, check out her latest story Beginner's Luck. An awesome story, not to be missed.

Tani hadn't been prepared for the sight that greeted her when she stepped up into the waiting ambulance. Danny lay motionless, the wound to his arm had been bandaged and his neck immobilized in a brace. A wide tape went over his forehead and was secured to a spinal board. She wasn't accustomed to seeing her normally animated friend so still.

She hesitated, unexpectedly feeling out of her depth. The doors behind Tani slammed shut, her hand instinctively going to the gun holstered at her hip.

"Whoa, you OK?" The EMT gave her a concerned look before continuing to stow medical supplies in an overhead locker.

She hadn't realized she was being watched. "Yea. Sorry. Tani Rey. Five-0."

"Name's Lucas. Please take a seat." He frowned at her. "You expecting trouble?"

"Hmm. No. Maybe. Why?"

Lucus laughed. "You looked ready to shoot someone."

"Oh, yea, sorry about that. Habit." Tani edged alongside where Danny laid and sat down. "How is he?"

"Detective Williams is stable and the meds are helping. I've given him something for the pain and his anxiety. Being strapped down like that can't be much fun, so I guess for someone with the detective's disorder it can be frightening."

"Excuse me. Disorder?"

"He freaked out when we first got him on the board. Thankfully one of your colleagues was on hand to explain his claustrophobia."

Tani looked wide in shock. "Crap. I did not know that."

"He's coping well now. We should be at Queens Medical in about thirty minutes."

"Good." Tani perched nervously on the edge of the seat watching Danny intently for what seemed like a lifetime. Running down bad guys and ducking bullets suddenly felt like a breeze compared to facing the prospect of losing Steve, and explaining that to his best friend.

"What's the deal with his back?" Tani clasped her hands together, chewing on her thumb nail.

"Spinal board is just a precaution. A CT will tell the doctors if the existing fracture has worsened. Detective Williams has movement and feeling in both legs and feet."

"Hear that, Danny you're gonna be alright." She shook her head disapprovingly when he tugged at the oxygen mask.

"Stop that." Tani stood, snatching it from Danny's hand, placing it over his nose and mouth. "What? You thought I'd be a pushover? Leave it be or I'll cuff you to this bed."

Danny blew out a deep breath causing the oxygen mask to fog. "Steve?"

"Steve's gonna be just fine." Tani wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure Danny or herself. "Now behave."

"Don't need." Danny's voice was muffled but she got the message from the angry glare.

Tani cupped one hand around her ear. "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

Danny tried to dislodge the mask again but failed, his coordination off.

" _Tani_." He growled her name.

Lucas checked Danny's readings, jotting down some numbers on his paperwork. "Your oxygen stats are low so you should do what Tani said and keep it on."

"Hey, dude, I'll make sure he behaves."

"Thanks, but I think I've got this. I've dealt with a lot worse."

" _Worse._  You hear that Danny?" Tani peered down at him, reaching for her friend's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "See you're not such a bad ass after all."

"You his better half?" Lucas asked.

"Whoa, no, no, he's one of my bosses. Us? A couple? God no." Tani laughed. "No offence Danny, but you and me..."

Danny pulled his hand from hers and yanked the mask off. "I want the truth about Steve."

Tani shrugged her shoulders. "I have no idea what you mean."

"I was there, he's not okay." Danny's voice cracked and the blood pressure monitor began to buzz loudly.

"Detective, you need to calm down." Lucas placed the mask back and adjusted the flow. "Your partner was stable when they wheeled him onto the bus."

"I told you so. Now take it easy." Tani stroked Danny's hair, locking eyes with Steve's intensely loyal friend and partner before bending forward to plant a kiss on his forehead. She stood back up and grimaced. "Too much, too soon?"

This time it was Danny reaching for Tani's hand. He intertwined their fingers. "Thanks."

Lucas cleared his throat. "ETA five minutes."

"Thank God. No offence Lucas but I hope we don't meet again anytime soon." Tani smiled warmly.

"Feeling's mutual." Lucas grinned back at her.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"Whatcha got Jerry?" Lou entered Steve's study.

Jerry sat behind a desk, staring closely at a laptop screen. "Someone went to a lot of trouble to put this together. It's all here. Money trails, vehicles, crew names, locations."

Lou looked at Jerry wide eyed, eyebrows raised. "The whole shebang?"

"Whoever gave this flash drive to Danny had intimate knowledge of Carlisle's operation." Jerry's eyes darted from side to side. He continued in a hushed tone. "I'd feel more comfortable discussing this in my bunker, back at the Palace. Walls have ears."

Lou sighed. "For once I'm inclined to agree. Start packing up. We'll grab Junior on the way out. He's getting up to speed with Noelani and forensics."

"Any news on Steve and Danny?" Jerry dropped the small storage device into his shirt pocket.

"Tani's on her way to Queens with Danny. She'll call as soon as she –" Lou was interrupted by a skirmish outside in the hall.

"Sir, you shouldn't be here." Junior blocked the doorway with his back to Lou and Jerry. "This is an active crime scene."

"Governor Mahoe specifically asked that we take point."

"Five-0 has jurisdiction."

"Not anymore. And you need to remember that she signs your paycheck."

"Junior let him through." Lou stood in front of Jerry, who had his laptop tucked under his arm.

A smartly dressed man stepped into the room. "Captain Grover, I believe."

"And you are?"

"William Davies. Governor Mahoe instructed me and my team to assist you in your investigation."

"Did she now. That's mighty kind of her. Be my guest." Lou pointed towards the front of the house. "Crime scene's outside."

"I was led to believe you have some intel pertinent to this investigation." Davies leaned to the side trying to get a better look at Jerry.

"Let's be clear. This here house, belongs to our friend and colleague, Commander McGarrett. And this fine young fella –" Lou rested his hand on Junior's shoulder. "– is McGarrett's house guest, Mr Reigns. Mr Ortega and I were invited, you on the other hand were not, so unless you have a warrant I suggest you get the hell outta here."

"I'm no expert but a bullet through the window extends  _our_ crime scene to encompass this house."

"Bullet?" Lou frowned at Junior. "You know anything about that?"

"No, sir." Junior folded his arms, shaking his head.

Davies laughed. "You'd have me believe that the broken window was caused by, what, a ball?"

"Golf ball. I was showing young Charlie Williams my best swing." Lou did the action of swinging a club.

"Yea, yesterday evening. We were watching Detective Williams' son." Junior coughed. "We got a late call to attend an incident, so we didn't get time to clean up the mess."

"OK. I'm gonna let this slide for now, but I want a full report on my desk first thing tomorrow." Davies handed Lou his business card.

"Director of public safety." Lou raised an eyebrow. "Sure thing. You'll have it in the morning."

Davies nodded once then left the room. The three team members waited in silence for a beat.

"Hell, I hope you boys feel as good as I do knowing that numb skull is the head of public safety. I know I'll sleep better tonight." Lou tossed the card into a trashcan by the desk. "Oh, and Junior. Ask one of the guys to clean up that glass."

"On it." Not wanting to waste anytime Junior left the room.

Lou stopped by the door and tapped the wall. "You were right. They do have ears."

"Do you want to hear my theory? I've been watching these guys –"

"Hey, we don't have time to discuss your theories. Right now we need to analyse that thumb drive." Lou patted Jerry on the back. "But you can explain to me how you turned Danny into a believer later. I'm still trying to figure that one out."

"Cool." Jerry smiled smugly as he scooped his keys up off the corner of the desk.

**~ to be continued ~**


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finding time to write is becoming more and more difficult. I desperately want to finish this story, so in order to do so I have enlisted the help of my friend and writing partner, Phoebe. Thank you for coming to my rescue. Between the two of us we will bring this story to it's conclusion.

"Danny?" Steve tried to sit up, breathing heavily. Alarms going off. Sweat beading on his face. Flushed cheeks. "Need to see Danny."

"Steve." Lou slipped past the nurse and grabbed the bed controls from his friend. "You need to lie down. Now. You just had surgery."

The two men stared at one another in a comical showdown. Steve was pale and shivering. Lou shook his head.

"You're a sorry sight right about now."

"Danny." Steve protested with a scowl as he relented. Easing himself back against his pillows with Lou's gentle guidance.

"Danny's alright, Steve. He's in good hands."

"Need to see him." Steve grunted before melting in a grimace of pain, eye closed, jaw tense.

Lou turned toward the hospital staff standing behind him, waiting to jump in. "Please, give him something. Before he hurts himself."

"Don't want anything, Lou."

A young man - Lou figured he was a resident - approached the bed with two vials of meds. Steve puffed up but the doctor didn't back down.

Until Steve opened his mouth again. "You give me that and I'll kill you."

"Whoa -" Lou stood tall, arms out sideways to keep the two parties apart. Steve had sat up in bed as the resident attempted to do their job. Only people who knew Steve well would know it was all an act. Exasperated and slightly amused Lou sighed. "Now I know why Danny calls you an animal. You're gonna get yourself kicked out of this fine establishment."

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

"I didn't know he was claustrophobic either, Junes. They had to sedate him to do the CT." Tani paced the corridor, cell phone held to her ear. "I'm not gonna mention it. That's a conversation for another time. I would have asked McGarrett, but he went all ninja death SEAL earlier and scared an intern."

"Hey, it's not funny. I'm just happy it was Lou with him and not me. Our boss is a scary ass dude."

Tani stopped by Danny's room and peered through the small window pane. "Doc said Grace and Charlie could visit tomorrow,"

"Cool. Yes. I will. Junes, you're gonna drive me crazy." She turned and smiled at a passing nurse. "No. No headache."

"Yes, I've eaten."

"I'm taking a break right now. Mom and Dad are sleeping." She flopped down onto a chair and rested her head back against the wall.

"Seriously. You haven't heard Lou call us the kids?"

"He did. The other day. Ask him."

Tani giggled. "Nah, Danny is definitely mom."

"Don't you dare tell him I said that."

"Junes, as much as I love talking to you. You need to keep working the case and I need to get back to Danny."

"I – I do not need you to come get me." Tani smiled broadly and stood up. "Junes, dude, you still there? I didn't catch that. You're breaking up."

"I will if you stop fussing. I need to go." She walked towards Danny's room. "You hang up first."

"I'm the child? You started it. I'm going. I'm gonna hang up right now."

"I really am gonna hang up." Tani grinned mischievously as she tapped the end call icon.

H50 H50 H50 H50 H50

Danny opened his eyes. They felt dry and gritty. He raised his hand to rub them, but stopped short when he felt the tug of an IV. It made sense, he felt disconcertingly numb, which he guessed was due to all the meds pumping through his system.

When he spotted Tani sitting by his bed, head buried in her phone, a twang of disappointment quickly changed to one of anxiety.  _Where was Steve?_  Memories of his friend laying next to him with the handle of a knife sticking out of his gut came flooding back. Danny's stomach rolled as he faced the very real possibility that his friend was dead.

Danny swallowed hard before tentatively asking. "Steve. He OK?"

Seconds pounded by in his head as he waited for a reply. He blinked, making sure she was really there. He cleared his throat with a rather inelegant grunt and once again tried to get Tani's attention.

"Hey." Danny rasped.

She looked up from her cell, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey yourself. How are you feeling?"

"How's Steve?" This time raising his voice.

Tani reached for the controls to the bed. "You need to take it easy. Let me raise the head a little."

Danny grit his teeth and dug his fingers into the covers. "That's enough."

"It barely moved." She looked concerned. "I'll get the nurse."

"No, I'm good." Danny put on his best fake smile, steadying his breathing. That brief attempt at reassuring Tani used up so much energy. But he'd be damned if he let it show.

"I have strict instructions to call someone when you wake up. And guess what? You're awake." She popped up out of her chair. "Let me get your nurse."

"Steve first." Danny coughed, pain lines creasing his brow. "And maybe some water?"

"Boss man is doing great. Doc said he got lucky. Not sure getting stabbed is lucky, but hey, he's alive and on the road to making a full recovery." She placed her phone on the side table, swapping it for a cup. "Here, drink some water. Take it slow."

She held the straw for Danny. After a few mouthfuls he rested back against the pillows, letting the knowledge that his best friend was not only alive but doing great sink in. He took in the hospital room for the first time, noticing take-out food and drink cartons piled up on a nearby table. "How long have you been here?"

Tani glanced at the empty containers and smiled. "Forever. You know being charged with both bosses' welfare is hard work."

"You've seen Steve?" Danny looked surprised.

"Briefly. Superman is already making demands. You are at the top of his list."

"SuperSEAL."

"Wow. Going a few rounds with Nate Diaz, crash landing a hot air balloon and taking out Miss Iosua has not dulled your sense of humor."

Danny ignored the jibe. "And  _I_  need to see him."

"Sure you do." Tani placed the cup back on the table before taking her seat by Danny's bed.

"What else did the doc say about Steve?"

"Well, they gave him blood, fixed him up with surgery. The knife didn't hit anything major. Oh, Steve mumbled something about it missing your liver."

Danny opened his mouth to speak, but Tani held up her hand to stop him. "And mentioned cuffing you next time you don't follow orders."

Tani pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes for a moment. "Crap. Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sure he wasn't serious."

"Hey, you OK?" Danny reached out, his fingers brushing her knee.

"Headache."

Danny ran one hand slowly threw his hair, blowing out a deep breath. "The crash. Tani I'm so sorry. I never –"

"Stop. Don't you dare apologize. Please do not go all mother hen on me. I already have Junior for that."

She blushed when Danny smiled at her. An understanding passed between them.

"Yea, I've got one of them. A mother hen." Danny looked away, focusing on the bed covers instead.

They sat in silence for a moment. Tani studied Danny, the bruises on his face were faded but she could still see the faint yellow discoloration. Judging by the dark circles under his eyes, he hadn't been sleeping well. She sighed. None of them had been sleeping well since the case went south. One corner of her mouth curled up in amusement as she watched him unravel the frayed edge of the hospital blanket.

"What did that blanket ever do to you?" Tani placed her hand over his, stopping his ministrations. "Talk to me Danny, please. Tell me what's going on in that thick skull of yours?"

Danny met her gaze. "You have a terrible bedside manner."

"Yea, and you suck at being a patient. Now spill."

"I didn't secure Kakalina. Steve getting stabbed. Her dying. That's on me."

"This is on Kakalina Iosua and Drayton Carlisle. You're the reason we brought Carlisle's empire to its knees. Don't you forget that."

"Maybe." Danny sighed.

"Well, at least I now know why McGarrett wants to cuff you."

"How long has Detective Williams been awake?" A nurse entered the room. "You were meant to inform the desk the moment he woke."

"I – I was about to, sorry." Tani lowered her voice to a whisper. "Damn it, Danny. You got me into trouble."

Danny responded with a smirk.

"I will notify Doctor Chisholm. He's just next door."

Seconds later Danny's doctor entered the room. "Detective Williams, I'm happy to see you're awake. How do feel?"

"Tired. Sore. Eager to go home." Danny pinned him with his best 'nothing wrong with me' look.

"All in good time. You had your colleague here worried. Not to mention Commander McGarrett. He's a force to be reckoned with. He scared off one of my young interns."

Tani cringed. "Maybe I should go visit him."

Danny smiled. "Yea, put a sign on his door while you're there. Beware of the animal. He bites."

"On second thought, I'll stay here. You have less of a bite, more of a growl."

Doctor Chisholm cleared his throat.

"Sorry." Tani ducked her head and made a face at Danny which earned her an eye roll.

"How's your pain on a scale of one to ten? Ten being the worst."

"Two."

"Good. If that number begins to rise, please let the nurse know." Doctor Chisholm held up the call button. "Don't be afraid to use this."

"So, doc, when can I go home?"

"A few more days. You're being referred to a physical therapist."

"Doc, that really –"

"Isn't necessary? On the contrary it is. If you want to get back to one hundred percent fitness and I take it you want to return to active duty?"

"Yea, but – "

"You have a spinal fracture not an ingrown toenail. Do yourself a favor and follow doctors orders. You will find I am also a force to be reckoned with."

Danny deflated against the pillows. "Okay. Can I at least see my partner."

"Of course. That can be arranged. I will instruct an orderly to take you."

"Thank you." Tani stood as he made for the door. "I'll make sure they behave."

"Good. And don't forget that sign." Doctor Chisholm gave her a lopsided smile before closing the door behind him.

Tani flopped back down into her chair. She stretched and yawned loudly before realising Danny was staring at her intently. She'd only worked with Danny for a few months but could already tell what that look meant."

"OK, fine. I'll go find a wheelchair."

**~ to be continued ~**


End file.
